Federal judge upholds race-based admissions at Naval Academy, defying recent Supreme Court ruling.
The Navy is still Woke.
At a Glance
- U.S. Naval Academy’s race-conscious admissions policy upheld by federal judge
- Decision cites national security interests and military’s need for diverse officer corps
- Ruling contradicts recent Supreme Court decision on affirmative action in civilian universities
- Students for Fair Admissions plans to appeal, aiming to align military academies with civilian institutions
Judge Defends Naval Academy’s Race-Conscious Admissions
In a surprising turn of events, a federal judge has upheld the U.S. Naval Academy’s race-conscious admissions policy, directly challenging the Supreme Court’s recent ruling against affirmative action in higher education. U.S. Senior District Judge Richard D. Bennett’s decision underscores a clear divide between military and civilian educational institutions, prioritizing national security interests over the push for race-neutral admissions processes.
In other words, the Navy is defending racism.
Judge Bennett’s 175-page ruling emphatically states that the Naval Academy’s use of race in admissions is essential for maintaining a diverse officer corps, which he deems crucial for national security. This stance sharply contrasts with the Supreme Court’s decision earlier this year that effectively ended affirmative action policies at civilian universities.
“Federal Judge Upholds Racial Preferences in Naval Academy Admissions; A group that won a Supreme Court case challenging affirmative action at Harvard and the University of North Carolina had also sued the military academies”: Anemona Hartocollis of The https://t.co/0Be7RvUYmq
— Howard Bashman (@howappealing) December 6, 2024
National Security Trumps Race-Neutral Policies
The court’s decision highlights a troubling trend of using national security as a blanket justification for policies that would otherwise be considered discriminatory. While diversity in military leadership is important, it’s concerning that the Naval Academy is being allowed to sidestep the constitutional protections against racial discrimination that apply to civilian institutions.
“The Naval Academy’s race-conscious admissions policies are narrowly tailored to further a compelling governmental interest in national security,” U.S. Senior District Judge Richard Bennett.
Mhmm. Ok.
This ruling sets a dangerous precedent, suggesting that military institutions can operate under a different set of rules when it comes to equal protection under the law. It’s a slippery slope that could lead to further erosion of individual rights in the name of national security.
A federal judge has upheld the US Naval Academy's use of race in admissions practices, ruling that the school has “established a compelling national security interest” in championing DEI within the military. | @dezward01 https://t.co/ZCbMNr2GsN
— National Review (@NRO) December 6, 2024
Pushback from Advocacy Groups
Students for Fair Admissions, the group that successfully challenged affirmative action policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, has vowed to appeal this decision. Their goal is to ensure that military academies adhere to the same standards of fairness and equality as civilian institutions.
“It is our hope that the U.S. military academies ultimately will be compelled to follow the Supreme Court’s prohibition of race in college admissions,” Edward Blum, President of Students for Fair Admissions, said.
Hopefully this all gets sorted out during the next Trump term.
