US Naval Academy Sued Over Race-Based Admissions Policy

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Facts

  • The anti-affirmative action group Students for Fair Admissions has challenged the constitutionality of the US Naval Academy's race-based admissions policy, claiming that the sea service school 'provides a racial benefit to some applicants but not to others.'1
  • The 28-page lawsuit, filed on Thursday in the Northern District Court of Maryland, lists as defendants the Defense Department, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, US Naval Academy Acting Superintendent Fred Kacher, and Naval Academy Dean of Admissions Bruce Latta.2
  • The advocacy group has asked the court to declare that the policy violates equal protection rights enshrined in the Fifth Amendment and to issue an injunction barring the academy from considering or knowing the race of applicants when making admissions decisions.3
  • The lawsuit against the Naval Academy, which trains officers for the Navy and Marine Corps, is the second Students for Fair Admissions filed against US military schools' admissions policies. The group sued West Point Military Academy last month.4
  • In June, the Supreme Court struck down race-based admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina in lawsuits brought by Students for Fair Admissions, resulting in a nationwide ban on affirmative action policies in colleges and universities.5
  • However, the 6-3 majority opinion reportedly fell short of addressing the rightness of race-based admissions systems in the context of military academies, which may present distinct interests, as they weren't explicitly included in either case.6

Sources: 1Navy times, 2Politico, 3Bloomberglaw, 4Washington examiner, 5CNN and 6National Review.

Narratives

  • Left narrative, as provided by The nation. Despite the blatant hypocrisy of the conservative justices who ruled against affirmative action in higher education institutions while carving out an exemption for military academies, it's a matter of fact that even they have acknowledged that racial diversity is positive for the country. Instead of extending the ban to military schools, America should take steps to restore a successful system.
  • Right narrative, as provided by Federalist. Service academies have never been exempted from the ruling that ended affirmative action policies for higher education institutions, with the Supreme Court only refraining from addressing the issue without a fully developed record examining military-specific interests. That's why lawsuits have now been filed against West Point and the Naval Academy, as skin color doesn't mean a thing on the battlefield.

Predictions