Brooklyn Law School Dean stands firm on diversity following affirmative action ruling

July 5, 2023 Rob Abruzzese

Dean David D. Meyer of Brooklyn Law School remains committed to ensuring a diverse and vibrant academic community in the face of recent Supreme Court rulings. Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Law School.

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In response to the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision restricting the use of affirmative action in college admissions, incoming President Joseph Crea and Dean David Meyer of Brooklyn Law School have sent a powerful message to the academic community reaffirming the school’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity.

The court’s ruling, which was passed 6-3 against affirmative action policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has led to heated discussions nationwide about the role of diversity in American higher education.

In a letter to the Brooklyn Law School (BLS) community, Dean Meyer emphasized the school’s unwavering commitment to diversity, stating, “I write to reaffirm Brooklyn Law School’s unwavering commitment to ensuring a diverse and vibrant educational community fully consistent with all legal requirements, including those of the Constitution.”

Reflecting on past Supreme Court decisions, Dean Meyer pointed out that “attaining a diverse student body is at the heart of [a] Law School’s proper institutional mission,” a sentiment echoed by educational institutions nationwide.

Despite the ruling, Dean Meyer expressed confidence in the continued value of diversity in educational environments, stating that, “Nothing in today’s decision… undermines the principle… that the nation’s future depends upon leaders trained through wide exposure to the ideas and mores of students as diverse as this Nation of many peoples.”

While recognizing the need to ensure the school’s practices conform to the Court’s judgment, Meyer declared that BLS “will not yield in our commitment to ensuring a classroom that includes a rich diversity of experiences and perspectives, including the distinctive experiences of students who have overcome hardships, discrimination, and exclusion of all kinds.”

Meyer concluded his message by emphasizing the historical commitment to access and non-discrimination that has defined Brooklyn Law School’s mission since its founding in 1901.

“In light of this ruling, that commitment remains as vital as ever to the quality of a legal education and, given the role of law schools in preparing our nation’s future leaders, to the strength of our democracy,” said Meyer.