The Students for Fair Admissions are suing West Point for discrimination for what the group claims is discrimination against white applicants.
The group recently made headlines by bringing the case against affirmative action for college admissions to the Supreme Court. They won the lawsuit and are now focusing on West Point.
The ruling verdict ended affirmative action in the college admission process. This ruling did not carry over to military colleges and institutions.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. included a footnote in the majority opinion stating that the Supreme Court was not deciding on affirmation action at military academies because of the “potentially distinct interests that military academies may present.”
The Students for Fair Admissions are focusing on West Point because it appears the school is using the Supreme Court’s choice to avoid making a set determination regarding military academies to continue utilizing affirmative action. In this case, using affirmative action goes directly against the previous qualifications of admission to the academy.
In recent decades, the academy has focused on other aspects of admission qualifications. West Point previously considered the academic background of their candidates as well as not the physical health and capabilities of the prospective candidates.
In a powerful statement made by Students for Fair Admissions, the issue of the lawsuit came to light. “For most of its history, West Point has evaluated cadets based on merit and achievement. For good reasons: America’s enemies do not fight differently based on the race of the commanding officer opposing them, soldiers must follow orders without regard to the skin color of those giving them, and battlefield realities apply equally to all soldiers regardless of race, ethnicity, or national origin.”
The statement by the group went on to say West Point “has strayed from that approach.”
Two prospective candidates to the academy brought their admissions stories and issues to Students for Fair Admission. The group took the potential case to their lawyers, who found the prospective candidates did have grounds for a discrimination lawsuit.
