Another “quick takes” on items where there is too little to say to make a complete article, but is still important enough to comment on.
The focus this time: A lot of court cases requiring discriminating judicial tastes
First, a little mood music:
Carrying on…
Speedbumps in court for a lawsuit against a discriminatory scholarship program.
“Lawyers representing Young America’s Foundation and two white students in a case alleging racial discrimination by the Department of Education are considering refiling the lawsuit after a judge recently dismissed it based on ‘procedural issues.’
“‘We are encouraged that the judge said the program is likely unconstitutional … and are working out next steps to deal with the procedural issues identified by the judge,’ [said[ attorney Skylar Croy with the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty […]
“‘We are committed to dismantling this discriminatory program,’ Croy said Monday.
“In a Dec. 31 order, Judge Peter Welte threw out the case regarding the federal McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, the Grand Forks Herald reports.
“He cited ‘procedural issues’ and dismissed the case without prejudice, meaning it can be filed again, according to the report.”
Does teaching about something equate with compelling it? That’s was a lawsuit against an anti-DEI law contends.
“A group of professors and students filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against a relatively new law in Alabama that forbids public schools and universities in the state from funding diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
“University of Alabama professors University of Alabama at Birmingham students joined forces with the Alabama-based NAACP to sue Gov. Kay Ivey and Alabama university trustees over the law, SB 129, which went into effect last October.
“The law forbids public K-12 schools and state universities from compelling a student or employee to personally affirm or adhere to a ‘divisive concept,’ such as white privilege, or require their attendance at a mandatory DEI workshop.
“The legislation, SB 129, defines ‘divisive concepts’ as arguments ‘that individuals should be discriminated against or adversely treated because of their race, color, religion or sex’ or that ‘the moral character of an individual is determined by his or her race, ethnicity or national origin.’
“But the lawsuit argues the law essentially restricts teaching on ‘divisive concepts,’ and also bemoans the closure of DEI offices on campuses across the state.”
Unsurprisingly, anti-Semitism is part and parcel of collegiate bias these days.
“A required training about discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct at Northwestern University is attracting ire for what critics say is a lack of protection for Jewish students and administrators.
“In an email sent to staff on December 17, Northwestern administrators detailed a required HR training program that would address ‘many forms of discrimination and harassment, including race, religion, national origin and disability discrimination’ and was updated recently to include ‘new components on overcoming antisemitic, anti-Muslim, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian biases.’ Northwestern will ‘require students to complete a similar training early next year,’ the email noted.
“But Jewish groups on campus say that Northwestern’s omission of ‘anti-Zionist’ or ‘anti-Israel’ from that list is egregious, especially considering the university’s sordid history addressing anti-Israel biases. Numerous officially recognized Northwestern student groups have praised Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel and spewed vitriol about ‘Zionist propaganda.’ The Middle Eastern and North African Student Association said that the October 7 ‘moment in history is integral to rightfully earning back what has been lost.’ The administration failed to respond to these and many more events.”
TTFN.
