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A federal judge has decided to uphold the use of racial preferences in the admissions process of the Naval Academy. The judge noted that while a group had previously challenged affirmative action at the Supreme Court, they also sued the military academies. However, the judge emphasized that the Naval Academy operates differently from a typical civilian university.
Written by Anemona Hartocollis
On Friday, a federal judge rejected a request to prevent the U.S. Naval Academy from taking race and ethnicity into account during the admissions process. The judge determined that the academy has a valid reason to use affirmative action to promote diversity among its students, as it is crucial for national security.
The ruling is a setback for Students for Fair Admissions, a group against affirmative action, who were aiming to challenge race-conscious admissions at military academies after successfully doing so at civilian schools like Harvard College and the University of North Carolina in 2023. The Supreme Court found that the use of race in admissions at these schools went against the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.
However, the attempt to present those arguments at the Naval Academy was unsuccessful, according to U.S. Senior District Judge Richard D. Bennett of Maryland in a 175-page ruling.
Judge Bennett stated that it is important for the Navy and Marine Corps to have a diverse group of officers for national security reasons. He also noted that the U.S. Naval Academy has unique characteristics that set it apart from civilian universities.
The judge referenced a report from the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services that highlighted the ongoing issue of racial and ethnic minorities being underrepresented in military service academies. He stated that this issue is primarily related to military personnel.
On Friday, Students for Fair Admissions expressed their disappointment with the ruling and stated that they would continue to appeal the decision, even up to the Supreme Court if needed.
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