One of the few requirements Trump reportedly had for his second Supreme Court pick is that they had to have an Ivy League degree, which vastly narrows the number of eligible people. With the choice of Brett Cavanaugh, class of 1990, Yale Law School didn’t hesitate to celebrate this as a win.
Not everyone in the Yale Law School community agrees, however.
In an open letter to Yale Law School Dean Heather Gerken and other leaders of the school, they ask a really important question about leadership’s willingness to celebrate their own power as people’s civil liberties are at stake.
We write today as Yale Law students, alumni, and educators ashamed of our alma mater. Within an hour of Donald Trump’s announcement that he would nominate Brett Kavanaugh, YLS ‘90, to the Supreme Court, the law school published a press release boasting of its alumnus’s accomplishment. The school’s post included quotes from Yale Law School professors about Judge Kavanaugh’s intellect, influence and mentorship of their students.
Yet the press release's focus on the nominee's professionalism, pedigree, and service to Yale Law School obscures the true stakes of his nomination and raises a disturbing question:
Is there nothing more important to Yale Law School than its proximity to power and prestige?
The letter details why Judge Kavanaugh is a bad choice and gives many reasons why his nomination isn’t worth celebrating. They also urge Yale Law School to practice “moral courage”; in the final paragraph, the letter explains what’s at cost.
“Perhaps Judge Kavanaugh will be less likely to hire your favorite students,” the letter says in the closing paragraph. “But people will die if he is confirmed. We hope you agree your sacrifice would be worth it.”
This really puts it into perspective. By abashedly celebrating their privilege and proximity to corruption, what message are they sending not just to their own community, but to the world? Yale’s celebration comes across as validation: It doesn’t matter if people lose their rights or it’s part of a long-term white supremacist strategy. We still win! Is that what Yale really wants to be known for?
As of the time of the writing, 576 Yale community members—students, alumni, and educators—have signed the open letter. The list is updated regularly.
Are you also a member of the Yale community? Add your name to the open letter here.