The U.S. Naval Academy, unlike civilian higher education institutions, may continue to consider the race of applicants seeking admission, a federal judge ruled Friday.
U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett sided with President Joe Biden’s administration in the case brought by Students for Fair Admissions, Reuters reports.
“Over many years, military and civilian leaders have determined that a racially diverse officer corps is a national security interest,” the judge wrote.
However, Edward Blum, an attorney for Students for Fair Admissions, told Reuters in a statement that his organization plans to appeal the decision.