2009 Naval Academy class most diverse–but not everyone is happy about it

Earlier this month, the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, swore in 1,233 freshmen. Of that number, 435 – or 35.3 percent — were an ethnic minority, a record percent for the institution. They were African-American, Hispanic and Asian-Americans, among others. All took the same pledge, to protect the same nation.

But while this might be cause of celebration for many, showing America’s armed forces are becoming more diverse to better reflect the nation today, it wasn’t for some.

Take Bruce Fleming, a tenured English professor at the academy, who expressed some dismay at the high percentage of minorities making up the new class. He told The Capital, the daily newspaper in Annapolis what he thinks about the Academy’s admission policies, arguing that by accepting more minority students the Academy is taking a step back academically.

“First of all, we’re dumbing down the Naval Academy,” he said, noting he believes the Academy has two different standards—one for white applicants, and one for ethnic applicants. “Second of all, we’re dumbing down the officer corps.”

However, the Academy says they have only one set of standards and were quick to put a lid on the comments of Fleming who served on the admissions board seven years ago.

“Every candidate to the Naval Academy competes equally in a single highly selective and competitive admissions process,” said Deborah Goode, a spokeswoman for the academy, in a recent interview. “We admit only highly motivated, well-rounded individuals based upon their combined excellence in academics, athletics, leadership potential and community service.”

She went further, saying “The facts do not support Professor Fleming’s assertions,” and noting the academy plans to press ahead with minority admissions. The academy says minority students will continue to be accepted at a high rate, as long as they qualify for the school.

The United States is expected to welcome almost a million legal immigrants over the next year, according to a 2008 estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau.

This certainly isn’t a new development.

The children of the people who have been immigrating to the U.S. (both legally and illegally) are legal citizens if they were born here. They are growing in number, and aren’t going away.

It only makes sense that while the number people of ethnic minorities grows, so will the number of people of ethnic minorities grow in America’s armed forces. That isn’t a case of “dumbing down,” it is a case of numbers, and it could easily be interpreted as a slap in the face of people of ethnicity.