A federal judge ruled that the U.S. Naval Academy can consider race in evaluating candidates, despite a Supreme Court ruling against similar affirmative action policies in civilian colleges. The decision was a win for President Joe Biden’s administration, which argued that diversity was crucial in the military to avoid distrust among personnel. The group opposing affirmative action, Students for Fair Admissions, plans to appeal the ruling. The Naval Academy stated that it is reviewing the decision. The future of defending the admissions policy is uncertain due to the change in government, with the group concerned about President-elect Donald Trump’s administration’s history of challenging affirmative action.
The lawsuit against the Naval Academy and West Point aimed to extend the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ban to military academies. However, the judge ruled that the Naval Academy’s program was justified because it aimed to enhance diversity in the Navy and Marine Corps officer ranks. The judge noted that while minorities make up a significant portion of enlisted service members, they are underrepresented in officer positions. The ruling highlighted the crucial need for a diverse officer corps in the military to address racial disparities and ensure national security. This decision establishes the importance of considering race in admissions to promote diversity and equal opportunity within the U.S. Naval Academy.
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