Military Academies Agree: No Race-Conscious Admissions

By Arden Dier

A group that sued West Point and the US Air Force Academy over their consideration of race in admissions have now dropped the case. The lawsuits were filed in the aftermath of the 2023 Supreme Court decision that eliminated race as a factor in admissions at colleges, while excluding military academies from the ruling, per the New York Times. The Biden administration was of the opinion that race-conscious admissions helped address racial and gender disparities, strengthening unity, military effectiveness, and security (for more, see here), while Students for Fair Admissions argued these were a form of unlawful discrimination and ought to be struck down everywhere.

On Monday, it dropped its case, noting the Trump administration is not considering race in military school admissions, as made clear in a January executive order. Students for Fair Admissions said it secured a deal with the Justice Department, on behalf of the Defense Department, ensuring the academies will admit future cadets based on “merit, not skin color or ancestry,” the Times reports. The agreement says the Defense Department investigated and determined the consideration of race in admissions did not promote military cohesiveness or national security. Moving forward, the academies will have no diversity quotas and an applicant’s race or ethnicity will be hidden from those reviewing applications.

https://www.newser.com/story/373388/military-academies-agree-no-race-conscious-admissions.html