The U.S. Naval Academy Faces Lawsuit Over Race-Based Admissions Policy
A nonprofit advocacy group, Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Naval Academy, claiming that its admissions policy gives preferential treatment to minorities. This lawsuit comes after SFFA successfully challenged race-based admissions at colleges and universities in the U.S. Supreme Court.
The lawsuit, filed on October 5th, alleges that the Naval Academy’s admission process involves two stages. The first stage requires applicants to pass medical examinations and a physical fitness test to secure a nomination from a member of Congress, the vice president, the president, or the secretary of the Navy. In the second stage, the academy’s admissions office considers race as a factor in the decision-making process.
This lawsuit argues that the Naval Academy’s admissions process has deviated from the principle of equality established by President Harry Truman’s executive order in 1948. The academy openly acknowledges that race is a factor in its admissions decisions, according to the complaint.
In 2020, a diversity task force recommended the Navy to prioritize subjective factors over standardized academic tests to improve minority representation. This move was aimed at aligning the officer corps with the national demographic percentages, as stated in a Navy report.
The lawsuit highlights the removal of standardized scores as a requirement for applicants three years ago, which SFFA argues creates a racial advantage for some applicants while disadvantaging others. It cites a New York Times op-ed by a Naval Academy professor, who claimed that non-white applicants receive preferential treatment.
The lawsuit also emphasizes the academy’s efforts to achieve a specific racial balance in its admissions. It provides statistics on the racial composition of recent classes, alleging that the academy’s actions violate the Fifth Amendment’s equal protection principle.
General David Berger, commandant of the Marine Corps, speaks during the U.S. Naval Academy 2022 Graduation Ceremony at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md., on May 27, 2022. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
The lawsuit argues that the academy’s use of race in admissions is unconstitutional under the Fifth Amendment and requests a permanent injunction against considering race in admissions decisions. The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling against affirmative action policies in colleges and universities does not apply to military academies, creating an opportunity for SFFA to challenge race-based admissions in this context.
SFFA has also sued the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to end its race-based affirmative action policies. The organization believes that the Supreme Court’s opinion applies to all institutions of higher education, including military academies.
The U.S. Naval Academy has not yet commented on the lawsuit.
Berkeley University student Calvin Yang (C), flanked by Edward Blum (L) and Adam Mortaraw, speaks during a news conference on the Supreme Court’s affirmative action in college admissions decision at the Press Club in Washington on June 29, 2023. (Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo)
In a landmark Supreme Court ruling, the court criticized universities for prioritizing race in admissions decisions. However, military academies were not part of the case, leaving room for SFFA to challenge race-based admissions policies in this specific context.
How does the Naval Academy’s admissions process deviate from the principle of equality?
Introduction
In a recent development, the U.S. Naval Academy has been hit with a lawsuit over its race-based admissions policy. The nonprofit advocacy group, Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), is spearheading the legal challenge, accusing the Naval Academy of providing preferential treatment to minorities in their admissions process. This lawsuit follows successful legal battles against race-based admissions at various colleges and universities in the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Lawsuit
The lawsuit was officially filed on October 5th and claims that the Naval Academy’s admissions process consists of two stages. The first stage requires applicants to undergo medical examinations and a physical fitness test in order to obtain a nomination from a member of Congress, the vice president, the president, or the secretary of the Navy. In the second stage, the admissions office considers race as a factor in the decision-making process.
Challenging the Principle of Equality
The lawsuit argues that the Naval Academy’s admissions process deviates from the principle of equality established by President Harry Truman’s executive order in 1948. The complaint highlights that the academy openly acknowledges the use of race as a factor in its admissions decisions.
Prioritizing Subjective Factors
In 2020, a diversity task force recommended the Navy to prioritize subjective factors over standardized academic tests in order to improve minority representation. This recommendation aimed to align the officer corps with the national demographic percentages, as stated in a Navy report. However, the lawsuit points out that this move disadvantages some applicants while granting a racial advantage to others by removing standardized scores as a requirement for admission.
Naval Academy’s Efforts for Racial Balance
The lawsuit further emphasizes the Naval Academy’s efforts to achieve a specific racial balance in its admissions. It provides statistics on the racial composition of recent classes and alleges that these actions by the academy violate the equal protection principle under the Fifth Amendment.
Conclusion
The lawsuit against the U.S. Naval Academy presents a significant challenge to its race-based admissions policy. With the success of prior legal battles against race-based admissions, the outcome of this lawsuit will have far-reaching implications for not just the Naval Academy, but also for other institutions that employ similar policies. The lawsuit raises important questions about the principle of equality in admissions processes and will likely fuel ongoing debates about affirmative action in the United States.
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