Zack K. De Piero, a former faculty member at Penn State Abington, has filed a federal lawsuit against the school, Penn State trustees, and Penn State administrators.
An excerpt from the suit:
First, Defendants’ bigotry manifests itself in low expectations. They do not expect black or Hispanic students to achieve the same mastery of academic subject matters as other students and therefore insist that deficient performance must be excused. Accurate assessment of abilities, if it happens to show disparate performance among different racial groups, is therefore condemned as ‘racist.’ Second, Defendants’ bigotry manifests itself in overt discrimination against students and faculty who do apply consistent standards, especially white faculty.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Wednesday, June 5 that De Piero said “the school discriminated against him for speaking out against anti-racist policies and failing to make sure students of different races received similar grades regardless of performance.”
The article continues: “Penn State pressured him to ensure consistent grades for students across ‘color line[s],’ otherwise his actions would demonstrate racism and he would be condemned as a racist.”
De Piero, who was hired in 2018 and resigned in August 2022, has filed multiple complaints with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging discrimination.
Penn State declined a response to The Inquirer.
A group of Penn State professors have been circulating an open letter since Monday. An excerpt:
We … stand in solidarity with our colleagues at Penn State who have embraced ongoing efforts in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), which must be in addition to, not a substitute for, affirmative action and antiracist programs and policies. We understand the stakes of this lawsuit, which regardless of its outcome will have a chilling effect on DEIB and antiracist initiatives throughout systems of higher education. We call upon our communities to join us in showing support for colleagues who are being unjustly targeted by groups espousing hateful ideologies.
According to InsideHigherEd.com, De Piero’s lawsuit has seen financial support from the Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism (FAIR).
“Students instead of being presented with several different viewpoints on any given subject, we’re seeing more and more that they are given one particular viewpoint on a topic and there are negative consequences for questioning it, disagreeing with it, or asking questions about it,” Leigh Ann O’Neill, managing director of legal advocacy, told The Inquirer. “That’s what professor De Piero experienced.”
For extensive coverage, you can read The Inquirer’s article here. You can also read Fox News’ coverage or watch their interview with De Piero here:
For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.
Feature image courtesy of Fox News