US judge affirms Naval Academy consideration of race in admissions process
Al Jazeera
Decision could tee up another battle over considerations of race in university admissions before US Supreme Court.
A federal judge has rejected a challenge to the United States Naval Academy’s practice of considering race in admissions applications, ruling that a diverse military is in the national interest.
In a decision on Friday, US District Court Judge Richard Bennett in Maryland ruled against Students for Fair Admissions, an anti-affirmative action group that has frequently turned to the courts to challenge the use of race in university admissions.
“Specifically, the Academy has tied its use of race to the realization of an officer corps that represents the country it protects and the people it leads,” Bennett wrote. “The Academy has proven that this national security interest is indeed measurable and that its admissions program is narrowly tailored to meet that interest.”
Students for Fair Admissions also brought a case challenging similar practices at Harvard University. The US Supreme Court ultimately struck down consideration of race in university admissions when it ruled in favour of the group in June 2023.
But that ruling, while broadly favourable to opponents of affirmative action, suggested that the question of race and admissions could be impacted by considerations of national security, opening the possibility of an exemption for military academies.
