Federal Judge Upholds Naval Academy's Race-Conscious Admissions Policy

The ruling emphasizes the importance of diversity in the military as a national security interest and rejects efforts to extend the Supreme Court's affirmative action ban to service academies.

• U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett ruled that the Naval Academy's limited use of race in admissions serves a compelling national security interest by fostering a diverse officer corps.
• The decision follows a 2023 Supreme Court ruling banning affirmative action in civilian colleges but leaving military academies exempt due to their distinct national security needs.
• The Naval Academy's admissions process considers race among multiple factors, without quotas or separate tracks, and is narrowly tailored to meet its stated goals.
• Students for Fair Admissions, the group behind the case, plans to appeal the ruling, potentially bringing the issue before the Supreme Court.
• The court highlighted testimony from military officials and historians on the importance of diversity for unit cohesion, recruitment, and legitimacy, both domestically and internationally.

11 Articles

UPI Al Jazeera Washington Free Beacon Associated Press Washington Examiner CNN Washington Post Baltimore Sun The Hill CBS News