Northwestern University may be under legal fire after a litigious conservative organization filed a lawsuit against the Northwestern law school for discriminatory hiring practices.
Northwestern Lawsuit
A lawsuit has been filed against Northwestern University in Illinois over claims that the college’s law school implements discriminatory hiring practices that are biased against white men.
Faculty, Alumni, and Students Opposed to Racial Preferences
The suit was filed in Federal District Court in Chicago on Tuesday last week by the conservative organization Faculty, Alumni, and Students Opposed to Racial Preferences (FASORP).
Against Race and Sex Preference in Academia
FASORP is a group that aims to “litigate against race and sex preferences in academia,” according to the official website.
Discriminating Against White Men
The group claims that Northwestern Pritzker School of Law systematically hires less qualified women and people of color to fill faculty roles, hiring them over white male applicants who are technically more qualified for the positions.
Violation of Law
FASORP is now arguing that its hiring practices are a direct violation of anti-discrimination laws, which prohibit businesses and institutions from discriminating against applicants based on their race, ethnicity, or gender.
Only 3 Positions for White Men
According to the lawsuit, the Pritzker School of Law has hired 21 new faculty members in the last 3 years, but only 3 of those positions were given to white male applicants that the lawsuit claims were more qualified than other successful POC and female applicants.
“Thumbing Their Noses” at Federal Laws
“For decades, left-wing faculty and administrators have been thumbing their noses at federal anti-discrimination statutes,” the lawsuit states.
Hiring “Mediocre and Undistinguished” Professionals
“They do this by hiring women and racial minorities with mediocre and undistinguished records over white men who have better credentials, better scholarship, and better teaching ability,” it concluded.
Applying Pressure to Colleagues
The complaint also alleged that certain faculty members at Northwestern had pressured other faculty members into choosing applicants based on race and gender. It pointed out current employees – four Black women and one Black man – that FASORP believes were hired on a racial basis, not because they were the most qualified.
One Professor Responds
Paul Gowder, a Black law professor at Pritzker and one of the faculty members mentioned in the lawsuit, responded to requests for an interview and hit out at the lawsuit claims, calling them “racist garbage.”
“Absolute Racist Garbage”
“This is absolute racist garbage,” Gowder told reporters. “My record speaks for itself. I would gleefully put it up against the records of any of the people who were supposedly passed over.”
Northwestern Responds
Northwestern University also responded directly to the lawsuit, with spokesperson Jon Yates telling reporters that the university intended to defend itself against the lawsuit and FASORP claims.
Vigorous Intent to Defend
“Northwestern Pritzker School of Law is among the top law schools in the country, and we are proud of their outstanding faculty,” Yates said. “We intend to vigorously defend this case.”
A Broader Problem
However, the scope of the lawsuit is not limited to Northwestern’s hiring practices. Instead, it takes aim at a broader problem that FASORP perceives in colleges and other educational institutions across the country.
“Corruption and Lawlessness”
The lawsuit mentions FASORP’s belief that universities across America are currently mired in a “cesspool of corruption and lawlessness,” with DEI – diversity, equity, and inclusion – mandates being a part of that alleged cesspool.
One Year After Supreme Court Decision
It comes just one year after the US Supreme Court outlawed affirmative action programs as part of the college admissions process in colleges such as Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The Snowball Effect?
While the Supreme Court decision was focused on college admissions and did not touch on college hiring processes, it is now believed that this court ruling has inadvertently led to lawsuits like the one filed last week.
Backlash Against DEI
It is part of a growing backlash against DEI initiatives in the education system, politics, and the US corporate landscape and one of a number of lawsuits against institutions that allegedly discriminate against white people.
Intention to Challenge More Schools
Now Jonathan Mitchell, the lead attorney on the case, has announced his intentions to challenge other similar “discriminatory” hiring practices in educational institutions across the country.
100 Letters Sent to 100 Universities
“We’re just getting started,” Mitchell said. FASORP has issued letters to 100 universities across the country, asserting their intentions to sue any schools that use “illegal, discriminatory practices,” similar to those deployed by Northwestern University.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Joseph Hendrickson.
