Press Release: The 2004 Whitest Law School Report

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE2004 Whitest Law School Report Shows That While Only 68% of Law School LSAC Applications Are from Whites, the Top Ten Whitest Law Schools Are All Over 90% White.A study by a University of Dayton School of Law professor that appears on the website "Race, Racism and the Law" shows that historically white law schools remain disproportionately white. The report provides an alphabetical listing and numerical ranking of all 179 historically white law schools, a report on public law schools based on state population 21 to 39 years old and based on State LSAC Applications, a ranking by region and a ranking by tier.DAYTON, Ohio (April 11, 2004). The percentage of whites in law school significantly exceed the percentage of Law School Admission Council (LSAC) applications that are from whites, according to a study conducted by a University of Dayton School of Law professor that appears on the website "Race, Racism and the Law" (http://academic.udayton.edu/race/)Vernellia Randall, who specializes in Race and Racism in American Law and the study of legal pedagogy, found that in 2002 only 68% of the 99,504 LSAC applications for law school were from whites. The average percentage of whites in historically white law schools is 79.9% and half of the 179 historically white law schools are over 81.6% whites. Twenty-six or 14.5% of historically white law schools are over 90% white."According to the census bureau, in 2050, white non-Latinos will make up less than 50 percent of the population. Some say that we will be "A Nation of Minorities". What does this mean? Will we have a multi-cultural society based on equity or will we be a de facto apartheid South Africa. That is, like South Africa, will the wealth and power of a nation be centered in numerical minority." Randall said"I wanted to know how well we are preparing for the future by training the future leaders (lawyers) to be representative of the "nation of minorities" ."The 2004 Whitest Law School Report shows that we are not preparing for a "nation of minorities' based on equity but for a de facto South Africa .Top Ten Whitest Law SchoolThe Top Ten Whitest Law school based on total percentage of whiteness are: University of Montana, University of Maine, Samford University, University of Idaho, Duquesne University, University of South Carolina, North Kentucky University, University of Kentucky, Marquette University and University of Richmond. Half the Top Ten Whitest Law Schools are in the south.Six of the Top Ten are public law schools. Based on percentage of state population 21-39 that are white, all the public law schools except Maine is over-serving its white population.Public Law SchoolThe 2004 Whitest Report includes a ranking of public law schools on whether they are serving white citizens better than the rest of their state population. Specifically, excess whiteness was calculated, that is number of percentage apoints above the state application base. Excess whiteness was calculated by taking the % of the applications that were from white applicants and subtracting the "%white in the law school". The larger the difference the higher the rank.The Top Ten Public Law Schools with the greatest disparity between the % of whites in the application pool and the % of whites in the law schools was: Texas Tech University, University of Baltimore, University of land, University of California (Los Angeles), Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Georgia State University, Golden Gate University, University of Georgia, University of Houston, State University of New York at Buffalo, University of Mississipi"Several factors affect why such disparities exist , i.e. interest in a particular law school, preparedness for law school, population of the state, large disparities may also be due to institutional racism. However, large disparities as represented in the Top Ten may also represent LSAT misuse which is significant in law schools.""Public law schools are supported by the taxes of the citizens of their state. Consequently, they have a responsibility to serve all the citizens. Over-serving whites is a failure of a public law school to adequately serve the needs of society by assuring equitable access to legal education." Randall saidThis report provides an alphabetical listing and numerical ranking of all 179 historically white law schools, a report on public law schools based on state population and based on LSAC applications, a report by region and a report by tier.For the complete report click on http://academic.udayton.edu/race/03justice/LegalEd/Whitest/For media interviews or more information, contact:Professor Vernellia RandallThe University of Dayton School of Lawvernellia.randall@...Website: http://academic.udayton.edu/race/(937) 229-3378(937) 274-9079