Ending DADT in 2010

SALT sent letters to every law school dean this month urging them to act “within the limits of the law to fortify the principles of anti-discrimination and to show unconditional support for LGBT students” during this recruiting season, hopefully the last of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. 

And now SALT is asking for your help, too.  Read this letter to all faculty about how you can help repeal DADT.

The letter requested deans to “encourage your faculty and students to directly seek the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.  We ask you to raise awareness and to discuss the continued discrimination directed at your gay and lesbian students who want to serve in the military, but who are precluded from even applying because of the law’s constraints.  By working together, we can make this the last recruiting season when these students are excluded from such opportunities.”

The update on the status of repeal was included in the letter:   “In May 2010, the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which contained a provision to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.  In September, the full Senate will vote on its version of the NDAA which contains identical repeal language.  But even if the bill were to pass the Senate and be signed into law by the President, repeal is not final until additional steps are taken.  The current legislative language requires the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to certify that repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell will not affect military effectiveness, unit cohesion, and morale, and that all necessary regulations to implement repeal are in place.  Proponents of repeal anticipate that the certification process will be completed by the first quarter of 2011.”   Read a copy of the text of the letter sent to your dean.