Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Los Angeles Times
September 20, 2007 Faced with the threat of losing federal funding, the school drops its demand for a Pentagon nondiscrimination vow.
By Associated Press
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 U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Yale on Monday, rejecting its argument that its right to academic freedom was infringed by federal law that said 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.
The funding loss would have devastated Yale 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."
Spokeswoman Jan Conroy said Yale Law 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.
September 20, 2007 Faced with the threat of losing federal funding, the school drops its demand for a Pentagon nondiscrimination vow.
By Associated Press
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 U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Yale on Monday, rejecting its argument that its right to academic freedom was infringed by federal law that said 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.
The funding loss would have devastated Yale 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."
Spokeswoman Jan Conroy said Yale Law 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.