COUNTERING MILITARY RECRUITMENT
Articles: Military Recruiting: General
Yale Loses Military Recruiter Case
Associated Press
September 20, 2007
NEW
HAVEN, Conn. - Yale Law School will end its policy of not working with
military recruiters following a court ruling this week that jeopardized
about $300 million in federal funding, school officials said Wednesday.
Yale and other universities had objected to the Pentagon's "don't ask,
don't tell" policy that allows gay men and women to serve in the
military only if they keep their sexual orientation to themselves. Yale
Law School had refused to assist military recruiters because the
Pentagon wouldn't sign a nondiscrimination pledge.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Yale on Monday,
rejecting its argument that its right to academic freedom was infringed
by federal law that says universities must give the military the same
access as other job recruiters or forfeit federal money.
"The fact is we have been forced under enormous pressure to
acquiescence in a policy that we believe is deeply offensive and
harmful to our students," said Robert Burt, a Yale law professor who
was lead plaintiff in the case.
The funding loss would have devastated the university's medical
research into cancer, heart disease and other illnesses, Burt said.
Yale Law Dean Harold Koh said in a news release Wednesday that he was
disappointed by the appeals court decision, saying the school has an
obligation to "ameliorate the impact" of discriminatory hiring
practices.
"We intend to meet this obligation and will work alongside our students
to identify the best ways of doing so, in accordance with the law," Koh
said. "We continue to look forward to the day when all members of our
community will have an equal opportunity to serve in our nation's armed
forces."
Koh did not immediately respond to calls seeking additional comment.
Jan Conroy, a Yale Law spokeswoman, said the school would waive the
requirement that military recruiters sign the nondiscrimination pledge.
The Air Force already has asked to participate in a job interview
program that starts Monday, she said.
The 2nd Circuit decision followed the U.S. Supreme Court's unanimous
ruling last year that the government can force colleges to open their
campuses to military recruiters. The justices rejected a free-speech
challenge from law schools and professors who claimed they should not
have to associate with military recruiters or promote their campus
appearances.
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