Reuters, Cutting 'Race and Ethnicity' From ABA's Law School Diversity Rules Goes Too Far, Critics Say:

Eliminating the terms “race and ethnicity” from the American Bar Association’s law school accreditation rules will hobble longstanding efforts to bring in diverse students and faculty, critics warned in public comments on the proposal.

Among the groups opposing a proposed revision of what is currently called the ABA's “diversity and inclusion” standard are legal education heavyweights including the Law School Admission Council; the Society of American Law Teachers; the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund; and a coalition of 44 law school deans.

The ABA, which sets accreditation standards for 197 law schools in the U.S., currently requires law schools to provide “full opportunities” for “racial and ethnic minorities” and have a diverse student body “with respect to gender, race, and ethnicity.”

The proposed new standard—renamed the “access to legal education and the profession” standard—eliminates references to race, ethnicity and gender and instead requires law schools to provide access to “persons including those with identities that historically have been disadvantaged or excluded from the legal profession.” …

Many of the 10 public comments opposing the change said the ABA had gone further than the court’s ruling requires, while three comments supported the change.

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