Donald Trump’s conviction in May on frivolous criminal charges in New York shows that the legal establishment not only has fallen prey to our extreme politics but also has become a willing coconspirator in it. Law school deans and faculty members should have stepped forward to act as a brake on a radicalized profession.
Sadly, many of our leading law schools have lost their bearings. Law school leaders and faculties have steadily disavowed teaching the constitutional text and structure to instead promote the latest fads in diversity, equity and inclusion. Faculty hostility toward true academic freedom, a content-neutral approach to free speech and study of the Constitution’s text has gone so far that law schools are now rejecting donors who wish to support research in separation of powers, federalism and constitutional interpretation.
Not surprisingly, their students have become increasingly ignorant of, and disrespectful to, constitutional values – exacerbating the disorder on campus.
A 2023 survey of accredited law schools reveals that only 68% require law students to take a course in constitutional law for a mean of 3.6 credit hours, which amounts to one semester of study. By comparison, 100% of law schools require students to take a course on contracts, with a mean number of 4.7 credit hours. Torts and........