Following up on my previous post, ABA Finds St. Thomas Law School Out Of Compliance With Financial Resources Accreditation Standard (Mar. 21, 2025): ABA Journal, St. Thomas College of Law Found Out of ABA Accreditation Compliance:

The St. Thomas University College of Law in Florida has fallen out of compliance with a core accreditation standard titled “Nondiscrimination and Equality of Opportunity,” according to a memo from the council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.

Standard 205 directs law schools to not discriminate, to treat people equally and to be fair in hiring, admissions and retention. The managing director’s Guidance Memo on Standard 205, which was revised in March, says schools should “provide the reasons—such as state or federal laws, other authorities, or university policy—which limit the inclusion of any specific group” during in their accreditation review. Standard 205 also states law schools can have a religious affiliation or purpose that influences admissions or employment as long as notice of these policies have been stated.

“We strongly believe that we are in compliance with all ABA requirements and are disappointed in the recent decision questioning our nondiscrimination and equal opportunity policies,” according to a statement to the ABA Journal. “This is particularly disheartening given the extensive academic freedom and nondiscrimination policy recently developed and adopted by our faculty to ensure clarity and fairness for our entire community. …

Standard 205 differs from Standard 206, which is called “Diversity and Inclusion,” and requires law schools to show they are actively engaged in fostering diversity and inclusion, especially for underrepresented groups. That standard has been suspended until Aug. 31, 2026.

Florida Phoenix, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier Accuses ABA of Discriminating Against Catholic Law School:

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier accused the body in charge of accrediting law schools on Thursday of discriminating against Catholics.

In a three-page letter posted to social media, Uthmeier demanded the American Bar Association not “horsewhip” St. Thomas University, a Catholic law school in Miami that the ABA in August declared to be out-of-compliance with the association’s anti-discrimination and equal opportunity standards.

“Admittedly, you currently have considerable power. But reform is in the air,” Uthmeier wrote, addressing St. Thomas University. “Your treatment of STU Law looks like religious discrimination under Florida civil rights law. Leave STU Law alone.”

He accused the ABA of engaging in “woke,” left-wing political activism, claiming the body “hates” religious values.

“It cannot use its accreditation monopoly to put law schools to the tortuous choice of accepting the ABA’s discriminatory, repugnant standards or suffering the fallout of withheld accreditation,” he continued.

Tallahassee Democrat, Florida Attorney General Accuses American Bar Association of Violating First Amendment

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