<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/boston" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boston</a> Democrat Mayor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/michelle-wu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michelle Wu</a> has been accused of racial discrimination by a group of white restaurant owners who say they were targeted for city fees in part due to their ethnic heritage.
According to the restaurant owners, Wu and the city singled them out for a $7,500 outdoor dining fee, a fee which <a href="https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2023/03/08/north-end-restaurant-owners-claim-discriminated-lawsuit/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">only applied</a> to establishments in their neighborhood. The plaintiffs are seeking $500,000 in compensatory damages and $1 million in punitive damages.
“It is commonly known that the traditional owner of a restaurant in the North End of Boston is a white male of Italian descent, and the North End is generally regarded (as) the last true ethnic Boston Italian neighborhood,&#8221; a Tuesday legal filing from the group of restaurant owners <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/north-end-restaurant-owners-sue-mayor-michelle-wu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
“The Plaintiffs had a right to be treated the same as other restaurants in the City who were granted outdoor dining and not singled out to pay fees … to have outdoor dining because of their sex or national origin/ethnicity as appears in this case,” the lawsuit continues.
Those suing Wu include Jorge Mendoza-Iturralde, Carla Gomes, Jason and Kim Silvestri, and Patrick Mendoza, all of whom run restaurants in Boston’s North End neighborhood. In October, a judge dismissed a similar claim from the group when they said the fees imposed on them were unconstitutional.
Wu claimed the fees were necessary to ease traffic congestion and garbage disposal in the historic neighborhood, which was the only place in the city to be given the extra fees. After criticism, Wu eased the requirements somewhat and introduced a way some establishments could apply for exemption.
“I won’t comment on ongoing litigation that the city is involved in, but I will say that we stand fully behind decisions that are to ensure residents can live in their neighborhoods with the full range of ease of access and safety and opportunity,” Wu told reporters when asked about the suit.
Jorge Mendoza-Iturralde, one of those involved in the suit, <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2022/04/27/north-end-restaurateur-says-hes-running-for-boston-city-council-seat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ran unsuccessfully</a> for a city council seat last year in response to Wu’s restaurant fees, running on a platform of supporting law enforcement, small businesses, and maintaining the city’s historic monuments.
“The city of Boston is failing the people and I feel I have to do something about it,” he said in announcing his campaign. “I will be a vocal challenge to Mayor Wu.”
Wu has come under fire for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/boston-mayor-michelle-wu-blasted-for-white-jokes-at-st-patricks-day-breakfast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">racially charged jokes</a> in the past, making a joke last St. Patrick’s Day about having to deal with “white” problems.
“I’m getting used to dealing with problems that are expensive, disruptive, and white — I’m talking about snowflakes, snowstorms, snowflakes!” Wu said at the time.

Asian American Pacific Islanders Event

Boston Democrat Mayor Sued For Allegedly Discriminating Against White Restaurant Owners

Boston

Courts

Michelle Wu

Racial Discrimination

U.S.

The Delaware Supreme Court literally <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/news/delaware-supreme-court-approves-lowering-bar-exam-threshold-to-improve-racial-diversity/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lowered</a> the bar this week by changing the grade needed to become a certified lawyer in The First State as part of its attempt to increase racial diversity among lawyers and judges. Yet, those responsible for the change insist that it has not lowered standards.
Of course, certain barriers are put in place to keep unqualified people from doing very important jobs. Nonetheless, Delaware Supreme Court Chief Justice Collins J. Seitz Jr. said via a news release, &#8220;the bar exam is not supposed to be a barrier to entering the profession but is supposed to be a test of an applicant’s ability to successfully practice law in Delaware, and I believe these reforms will help better reflect that purpose.&#8221;
Despite lowering the standards, Seitz added &#8220;this is not a lowering of the standards but a modernization of the process to better reflect how other states handle admission to the bar.&#8221;
Delaware has one of the strictest bar exams in the country, and Seitz insists that will remain.
&#8220;The chief justice said these reforms will keep Delaware competitive in attracting top legal talent to the state and keep Delawareans interested in the law from going elsewhere,&#8221; the news release claimed.
Per the <a href="https://whyy.org/articles/delaware-bar-exam-changes-designed-to-increase-racial-diversity/amp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public news station</a>, WHYY, in Delaware, the following changes will take place:
<ul>
<li>Starting next year, the exam will be given twice annually — in February and July.</li>
<li>The “cut” or passing score for the exam of 200 multiple choice questions will be reduced from 145 to 143.</li>
<li>The number of essays will be cut from eight to four, and the number of areas of the law eligible for essays reduced from 14 to 10.</li>
<li>Reduced clerkship requirement from 21 weeks to 12 weeks.</li>
<li>Cut the number of legal proceedings potential lawyers must attend from a mandatory list of 25 items to 18 out of 30 potential items.</li>
<li>Reduced the late application fee for law school grads and attorneys admitted in other state</li>
</ul>
As pointed out by National Review, Delaware State Bar Association President Chuck Durante welcomed the changes while deriding &#8220;traditional barriers&#8221; as being unwelcoming toward minorities.
&#8220;These changes are designed to remove certain unnecessary impediments to applications to the Delaware bar, to rip some barbed wire from the welcome mat, some traditional barriers that had developed into something quite artificial,’’ Durante said.
<div class="c-message_kit__blocks c-message_kit__blocks--rich_text">
<div class="c-message__message_blocks c-message__message_blocks--rich_text" data-qa="message-text">
<div class="p-block_kit_renderer" data-qa="block-kit-renderer">
<div class="p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper--first">
<div class="p-rich_text_block" dir="auto">
<div class="p-rich_text_section"><a class="c-link" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9944">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Then, curiously, Durante, who is white, went off on a race-based tangent about &#8220;white people&#8221; and how the old criteria for Delaware dissuaded black and Hispanic people from applying.
The attorney claimed, &#8220;attitudes must continue to evolve in Delaware. White people generally who have their antennae up, who understand what is happening in society, have learned the meaning of microaggression.&#8221;
&#8220;They’ve learned the meaning of how to be welcoming, how to be professional, how to make this community better suited for diversity in its professional class, including its lawyers,&#8221; he added.
To translate that, it sounds as if Durante thinks that &#8220;white people&#8221; at large need to continue to adapt to woke ideology and bow at the altar of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Despite claims that the standards are still high, it does in fact change them, which automatically means less qualified candidates will be admitted to practice law in Delaware. Changes such as reduced clerkships and minimum legal proceedings will mean that new attorneys will have less experience.
If finances are what preclude qualified minorities from applying to the state bar, why not just focus on making those more affordable either via upfront reduction, scholarships, or grants? That would open the bar exam to all lower-income individuals — not just those of certain races, as Durante made clear was the goal.
There are two ways of immediately increasing racial diversity based on immutable demographics: One is blatant discrimination, which is illegal though it is oft attempted by the Left. The other is lowering standards so that there are more &#8220;winners&#8221; — so to speak.
Of course, in both cases, the final product — or in this case the quality of attorneys — is weakened because immutable characteristics rather than merit are prioritized. In the end, it will be the clients depending upon their attorneys to win in court who will suffer as the Delaware Bar exam sacrifices quality for DEI.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

(SimpleImages via Getty Images)

Delaware Literally Lowers The Bar To Increase Racial Diversity Of Lawyers, Judges

Delaware

Discrimination

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

General

Racism

Supreme Court

A leader in the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) has been accused of being white instead of being a “person of color,” prompting anger within the Left-wing organization, according to a new report. 
Raquel Evita Saraswati, a Muslim activist who was born Rachel Elizabeth Seidel, is facing backlash from inside the AFSC after members and others raised concerns that Saraswati may not have been honest about her ethnic background, according to a new <a href="https://theintercept.com/2023/02/16/american-friends-service-committee-raquel-saraswati/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from The Intercept. 
According to the report, members of the AFSC are now upset that Sarawswati, the organization&#8217;s chief of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-dei" target="_blank" rel="noopener">diversity, equity, and inclusion</a>, is reportedly white. An anonymous letter from members of the organization and others <a href="https://medium.com/@kentinyoung/open-letter-on-raquel-evita-saraswati-rachel-elizabeth-seidel-e224370da860">accused</a> Saraswati of “cultural vulturism” and asked that she resign. 
The Intercept spoke with family members of Saraswati who said that she was misrepresenting her identity. “I call her Rachel,” Carol Perone, Saraswati’s mother, said. “I don’t know why she’s doing what she’s doing.”
Perone told the outlet that her daughter is not Latina, South Asian, or Arab as previously portrayed, but instead has a family background originating in Britain, Germany, and Italy. “I’m as white as the driven snow and so is she,” Perone said. “She’s chosen to live a lie, and I find that very, very sad.”
Oskar Castro, a human resource professional with a focus on DEI who helped to bring Saraswati to the AFSC, told The Intercept that he felt “deceived” because he believed that she wasn’t white, and checked a variety of diversity boxes. 
“In my mind, it was, ‘Great, a person of color, a queer person of color, who happens to be a Muslim, it’s a woman,&#8217; all these things, and someone who seemed to get it. I definitely feel conned,” he said. 
Saraswati also faced criticism for past appearances on outlets like Fox News. 
“People are concerned,” a member of AFSC’s leadership told The Intercept. “There’s a fear that she could be an agent, because she started her career right-wing. She was a token Muslim voice in that milieu. She never publicly apologized.”
Layne Mullett, a spokesperson for the AFSC, said that it does not require its team members to “prove” their ethnic identity.
“We are in receipt of the documentation alleging that our Chief Equity, Inclusion, and Culture Officer, Raquel Saraswati, has been misrepresenting her identity. AFSC has given Raquel the opportunity to address the allegations against her, and Raquel stands by her identity. Raquel also assures us that she remains loyal to AFSC’s mission, which we firmly believe,” Mullet said. 
Saraswati would not be the first person to mislead the public about an ethnic identity for apparent career advancement. Rachel Dolezal, the former NAACP Spokane chapter president, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/transracial-activist-rachel-dolezal-complains-about-not-being-able-to-find-a-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made headlines</a> in 2015 when she was revealed to be a white woman pretending to be black.

The Trevor Project’s “Harmony, Heart & Humor” Summer Gala

Muslim DEI Chief Of Left-Wing Group Accused Of Being White Instead Of ‘Person Of Color’: Report

Woke Culture

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/banks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bank of America</a> is under fire for a new mortgage lending program geared specifically to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/racial-discrimination" target="_blank" rel="noopener">black and Hispanic homebuyers</a>.
The loans, to be made in select minority communities throughout the country, require no down payments and no closing costs. Although white homebuyers in those neighborhoods who meet certain criteria are eligible for the program, the North Carolina-based lender said it is designed explicitly for blacks and Hispanics.
“Our Community Affordable Loan Solution will help make the dream of sustained homeownership attainable for more Black and Hispanic families, and it is part of our broader commitment to the communities that we serve,” A.J. Barkley, head of neighborhood and community lending for Bank of America, said.
The lending scheme, called the Community Affordable Loan Solution, is being rolled out in certain neighborhoods in Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Miami. It also has no minimum credit score requirement and buyers won’t have to pay mortgage insurance, which buyers who don’t put 20% down typically must pay.
California attorney Harmeet Dhillon said the program could potentially violate her state’s Unruh Act, a 1959 law that prohibits businesses from discriminating against consumers based on various factors including race, color, religion, ancestry, and national origin. She said it could also violate the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
In California, this would seem to violate the Unruh Act. Also federal Title VIII … Bank of America announces zero down payment mortgages for Black and Latino homebuyers <a href="https://t.co/zzFDWhrmK5">https://t.co/zzFDWhrmK5</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nbcnews</a>
&mdash; Harmeet K. Dhillon (@pnjaban) <a href="https://twitter.com/pnjaban/status/1565196785181609985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Steve Cortes, a former CNBC, Fox News, and Newsmax business commentator who also served as a campaign spokesman for former President Trump, called the program racist.
“Hey Americans who happen to be white: You bailed out Bank of America when they (and every other big bank) nearly collapsed the economy,” Cortes tweeted. “Now…BofA pays you back with an explicitly race-based lending program that overtly discriminates against white people.  Had enough???”
Twitter user Breanna Morello joked on Twitter that she could qualify simply by identifying as a minority, even though she is not.
“As a transracial woman, I am excited that @BankofAmerica will be providing me and other transracial Americans with the opportunity of owning a home without a down payment and closing costs,” Morello tweeted. “Transracials EVERYWHERE need to take advantage of this opportunity.”
Bank of America has a checkered history with minority communities. Countrywide Financial, a subprime lender it bought in 2008, was <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-reaches-335-million-settlement-resolve-allegations-lending-discrimination" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fined</a> $335 million for allegedly charging black and Hispanic homebuyers higher interest rates than whites.

Bank of America Profit Increase

BoA Ripped Over No Down Payment, No Closing Costs Mortgage Plan For Minorities

Bank of America

Banks

Business

Minorities

A Baltimore family just filed a $25 million <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lawsuit">lawsuit</a> against <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/sesame-street">Sesame Place</a>, a theme park in Pennsylvania, claiming their daughters were the targets of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/racism">racial discrimination</a> after being ignored by characters in costume.
The filing comes not long after a video of a Sesame Place employee dressed as Rosita seemingly ignoring two black girls during a parade went viral online, sparking nationwide outrage and accusations of racism. Social media was flooded with examples of similar incidents that allegedly took place at the amusement park, which only helped fuel the fury.
Per <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11056259/Black-family-sues-Sesame-Place-alleging-discrimination.html">Daily Mail</a>, the suit seeks class action status as 25-30 families have come forward with similar claims. It was filed in a federal court in Philadelphia against SeaWorld Parks &amp; Entertainment, the owner of Sesame Place, alleging “pervasive and appalling race discrimination.”
The lawsuit claims that four amusement park employees dressed as Sesame Street characters intentionally ignored Quinton Burns, his daughter Kennedi Burns, and other black guests during a meet-and-greet event on June 18. The family insists the employees’ behavior was an example of racism.
The lawsuit says “SeaWorld&#8217;s performers readily engaged with numerous similarly situated white customers.”
“Just looking at her face, it makes me want to cry every time I see it,” Burns said of his daughter during a press conference on Wednesday. 
“[Kennedi] was ignored amongst a sea of other young white children who were able to interact, give hugs, high fives,” attorney Malcolm Ruff said during the press conference. “Kennedi was forced to experience racism at the age of 5. This is unacceptable and we will not stand by and let this continue.” 
&#8220;We will review the lawsuit filed on behalf of Mr. Burns. We look forward to addressing that claim through the established legal process. We are committed to deliver an inclusive, equitable and entertaining experience for all our guests,” Sesame Street reps replied to the filing in a statement to <a href="https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2022/07/27/sesame-place-lawsuit-filed-baltimore-family-discrimination/">Eyewitness News</a>.
Reps for the amusement park apologized multiple times for the viral video of the two little girls appearing to be ignored, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sesame-place-issues-multiple-apologies-as-video-of-character-seemingly-ignoring-two-black-children-goes-viral">reported</a>, but their apologies were not enough to assuage skeptics. 
“We sincerely apologize to the family for their experience in our park on Saturday; we know that it’s not ok. We are taking actions to do better. We are committed to making this right. We will conduct training for our employees so they better understand, recognize and deliver an inclusive, equitable, and entertaining experience for our guests,” a statement at the time said.
“For over 40 years Sesame Place has worked to uphold the values of respect, inclusion and belonging. We are committed to doing a better job making children and families feel special, seen and included when they come to our parks.”
Per Daily Mail, the mother of the two girls from the video, Jodi Brown, didn’t believe the company was being sincere.
“I don&#8217;t believe it was genuine, I believe they were just putting out statements due to how viral the video has gone,” Brown said.

Social Media On The Sand At Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa – Day 3

Sesame Place Hit With $25 Million Racial Discrimination Lawsuit After Alleged Snub From Costumed Character Goes Viral

Lawsuit

Pennsylvania

Sesame Street

UPDATE: The Daily Wire on Tuesday was directed by James Patterson Entrainment to a tweet from author James Patterson concerning his comments about white male writers in Hollywood.
“I apologize for saying white male writers having trouble finding work is a form of racism,” the author <a href="https://twitter.com/JP_Books/status/1536741013695385603" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/JP_Books/status/1536741013695385603&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1655327544090000&amp;usg=AOvVaw02bVik-wXVnwuo76Ja3icX">tweeted</a> Tuesday. “I absolutely do not believe that racism is practiced against white writers. Please know that I strongly support a diversity of voices being heard — in literature, in Hollywood, everywhere.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I apologize for saying white male writers having trouble finding work is a form of racism. I absolutely do not believe that racism is practiced against white writers. Please know that I strongly support a diversity of voices being heard—in literature, in Hollywood, everywhere.
&mdash; James Patterson (@JP_Books) <a href="https://twitter.com/JP_Books/status/1536741013695385603?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Original story:
Bestselling author James Patterson said there is now discrimination against white male writers in Hollywood, particularly older ones, calling it &#8220;another form of racism.&#8221;
Sunday <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/james-patterson-white-male-writers-are-victims-of-racism-bzqj50fj3">Times</a> interviewer Sarah Baxter noted that it was &#8220;astounding to think&#8221; that Patterson&#8217;s &#8220;success as a young white author was founded on the character of a black detective,&#8221; referring to Alex Cross.
“I just wanted to create a character who happened to be black,” the author responded. “I would not have tried to write a serious saga about a black family. It’s different in a detective story because plot is so important.”
“I get it. How could we run through that period, especially in Hollywood, where there was all this talent and nobody got hired?” Patterson added, seemingly referring to minority actors and writers.
&#8220;Today, though, he worries that it is hard for white men to get writing gigs in film, theatre, TV or publishing,&#8221; Baxter said.
Patterson noted that the problem is &#8220;just another form of racism.&#8221;
&#8220;What’s that all about?” he asked. “Can you get a job? Yes. Is it harder? Yes. It’s even harder for older writers. You don’t meet many 52-year-old white males.”
In the same interview, Patterson said he dislikes actors and public figures &#8220;spouting off ignorantly about subjects they have gleaned off the internet,&#8221; Baxter noted. Patterson added that he&#8217;s still &#8220;almost always on the side of free speech,&#8221; though.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-best-selling-author-reveals-why-trump-kicked-ryan-saavedra">WATCH: Best-Selling Author Reveals Why Trump Kicked Epstein Out Of Mar-A-Lago</a>

AOL Build Speaker Series – James Patterson, “MasterClass”

UPDATED: Author James Patterson Talks Discrimination Against White Males, Apologizes

‘Another Form Of Racism’: Bestselling Author James Patterson Details Discrimination Against White Males 

Hollywood

Virginia school officials &#8220;severely harassed and discriminated against&#8221; an assistant principal who raised concerns about mandatory &#8220;anti-racism&#8221; teacher training, a new lawsuit alleges.
Former public school administrator Emily Mais is suing the Albermarle County School Board, represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), accusing the school board of creating a racially hostile work environment that ultimately forced her to leave her job in September 2021.
The school officials &#8220;constructively discharged&#8221; Mais by creating a &#8220;hostile environment where they repeatedly dismissed her complaints,&#8221; ADF said in a <a href="https://adfmedia.org/case/mais-v-albemarle-county-school-board">press release</a>.
Some of the &#8220;racially harassing and abusive comments&#8221; that her colleagues made about her included calling her, &#8220;that white racist b****&#8221; and &#8220;that two-faced racist b****,&#8221; according the lawsuit.
“Instead of training faculty members to embrace students of all races, Albemarle County school officials are using a curriculum that promotes racial discrimination,” said ADF Senior Counsel Kate Anderson, director of the ADF Center for Parental Rights. &#8220;The training sets up a classic Catch-22: It encourages all staff members to ‘speak their truth,’ but when a white person like Emily raises concerns about the divisive content, she is deemed a racist in need of further ‘anti-racism’ instruction.&#8221;
&#8220;Emily believes every person is made in the image of God and entitled to equal treatment and respect and refuses to participate in using harmful ideology to indoctrinate students, teachers, or staff,&#8221; Anderson added.
Mais, who formerly served as an elementary art teacher for seven years, had raised concerns about the Agnor-Hurt Elementary School&#8217;s &#8220;anti-racism&#8221; teacher training calling for differential treatment based on race, the lawsuit alleges.
That training is based on the book  “Courageous Conversations About Race,&#8221; ADF said, and attributes both positive and negative characteristics to people based on race, such as teaching that only the &#8220;dominant race&#8221; (white people) can commit acts of racism.
&#8220;The district is using the curriculum even though the Virginia superintendent of public instruction has expressly recognized that the &#8216;Courageous Conversations&#8217; book promotes inherently divisive concepts that are harmful to students and staff members and is an example of materials based on critical race theory that are being used in Virginia schools,&#8221; ADF said in a press release.
The reported vitriol against Mais began when she spoke up in a racial training session and accidentally said &#8220;colored people&#8221; instead of &#8220;people of color,&#8221; according to the lawsuit.
She immediately corrected herself and apologized, the lawsuit said, but Sheila Avery, a teacher&#8217;s aide who is black, reportedly verbally attacked Mais for this &#8220;slip of the tongue&#8221; and accused Mais of &#8220;speaking like old racists who told people of color to go to the back of the bus.&#8221;
Avery would later also tell Mais that &#8220;people of color&#8221; was not an appropriate phrase, the lawsuit notes.
&#8220;Ms. Avery&#8217;s verbal abuse was so severe that Ms. Mais received multiple communications during the training session and following it from other staff members expressing their support for her and their alarm at how unprofessional Ms. Avery&#8217;s response to her was,&#8221; the lawsuit said.
Mais discovered later that Avery and her friends were &#8220;openly slandering&#8221; her at work, &#8220;cursing about her and calling her vulgar names at work, telling other employees she was a racist and that she intentionally demeaned black people, and trying to turn other employees against her.&#8221;
And during a disciplinary meeting with school officials, the lawsuit said, she was told that those white teachers who were afraid to speak out against the anti-racism policy and training &#8220;should be afraid to speak if what they were thinking was not &#8216;appropriate.'&#8221;
Mais understood this to mean that &#8220;the Division was in fact policing white participants&#8217; speech and was prepared to retaliate against any criticism of its approach.&#8221;
The lawsuit was filed last week in the Albemarle County Circuit Court.
Nine parents and eight minors <a href="https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/12/22/exclusive-parents-accuse-virginia-school-district-of-teaching-students-to-discriminate-based-on-race/">also alleged in a December lawsuit</a> that Albemarle County Public Schools was indoctrinating students with an ideology that “teaches children to affirmatively discriminate based on race.&#8221;
ADF also represented the plaintiffs in this case, which repeatedly refers to Albemarle County Public Schools&#8217; “Anti-Racism Policy” — a policy with a stated purpose of eliminating “all forms of racism” in the school system.
“Defendants claim that they want to stand against racism,” the lawsuit said. “But rather than eliminate racism from the school district, defendants have done the opposite.”
“Far from exploring ideas or philosophies surrounding justice and reconciliation, that ideology fosters racial division, racial stereotyping, and racial hostility,” the lawsuit continued. “So does the policy. Through the policy, defendants incorporate these pathological teachings into the school district’s programming and treat students differently based on race in direct conflict with Supreme Court precedent and the Virginia Constitution and state law.”

Screen Shot 2022-04-18 at 12.57.55 PM

VA School Board Severely Harassed, Discriminated Against Principal Who Pushed Back Against ‘Anti-Racism’ Training, Lawsuit Alleges

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF)

Education

Virginia

Two more black NFL coaches have added their names to the racial discrimination lawsuit filed against the NFL by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores. 
On Thursday, 14-year NFL coaching veteran Steve Wilks, who is black, claimed that the Arizona Cardinals hired him as head coach for the 2018 season as a “bridge coach.” Wilks was fired after the 2018 season when the Cardinals went 3-13. Kliff Kingsbury, who is white, was hired in 2019. 
&#8220;Mr. Wilks, given the same opportunity afforded to Mr. Kingsbury, surely would have succeeded as well,&#8221; Wilks&#8217;s lawyers <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33690172/steve-wilks-ray-horton-join-brian-flores-lawsuit-nfl-teams-alleging-racism-hiring-practices">said</a>. 
&#8220;When Coach Flores filed this action, I knew I owed it to myself, and to all Black NFL coaches and aspiring coaches, to stand with him,&#8221; Wilks <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33690172/steve-wilks-ray-horton-join-brian-flores-lawsuit-nfl-teams-alleging-racism-hiring-practices">said</a> in a statement released by his lawyers. &#8220;This lawsuit has shed further important light on a problem that we all know exists, but that too few are willing to confront. Black coaches and candidates should have exactly the same ability to become employed, and remain employed, as white coaches and candidates. That is not currently the case, and I look forward to working with Coach Flores and Coach Horton to ensure that the aspiration of racial equality in the NFL becomes a reality.&#8221;
Wilks was hired as the Carolina Panthers defensive passing game coordinator and secondary coach for the 2022 offseason. 
The second black coach to join the lawsuit — Ray Horton — is the former defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans, and claims that the Titans brought him in for a “sham interview” to be their head coach in 2016. Horton claims that the Titans interviewed him only to satisfy the NFL’s Rooney Rule, which requires that a team must interview a minority candidate for prominent open positions. 
Mike Mularkey, a white man who was hired to be the Titans head coach in 2016 and coached Tennessee for three seasons, said in a 2020 podcast appearance that he was told by Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk that he would be offered the job before Horton was interviewed. 
“So I sat there knowing I was the head coach in 2016, as they went through this fake hiring process knowing, knowing a lot of the coaches that they were interviewing, knowing how much they prepared to go through those interviews, knowing that everything they could do and they had no chance to get that job,” Mularkey <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nfl/titans/2022/04/07/ray-horton-alleges-tennessee-titans-conducted-sham-coach-interview-brian-flores/9499671002/">said</a> in the interview.
In a Thursday statement, Horton said that he was “devastated and humiliated” when he heard Mularkey’s 2020 comments. 
“When I learned from Coach Mularkey’s statements that my head coach interview with the Titans was a sham, I was devastated and humiliated,” Horton <a href="https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1512103446048034822?s=20&amp;t=ryQGd-JbDO2rp3BoB-RW3A">said</a> in a statement. “By joining this case, I am hoping to turn that experience into a positive and make lasting change and create true equal opportunity in the future.”
Both the Titans and the Cardinals have denied any wrongdoing. 
“Our 2016 head coach search was an open and competitive process during which we conducted in-person interviews with four candidates and followed all NFL rules,” the Titans <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nfl/titans/2022/04/07/ray-horton-alleges-tennessee-titans-conducted-sham-coach-interview-brian-flores/9499671002/">said</a> in a statement. “The organization was undecided on its next head coach during the process and made its final decision after consideration of all four candidates following the completion of the interviews.”
In February, Flores sued the National Football League and several individual teams, naming the Denver Broncos, the New York Giants, and the Dolphins, for racial discrimination in the NFL’s hiring process. 
“Because we need change,” Flores <a href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/1488899241799995396?s=20&amp;t=8i_xv-_nYs74TTEKFMMCfQ">said</a> when asked why he filed the lawsuit. “That was the number one reason. And I know there is a sacrifice, there’s risk to that. But, at the end of the day, we need change. I know many very capable black coaches, some on my staff, who if given an opportunity, are going to go and do a great job on their interview.” 
“We need to change the hearts and minds of the people making those decisions,” Flores continued. “That’s why we filed the lawsuit.”
Last week, the NFL announced that every team will be required to hire a minority assistant coach on the offensive staff, according to <a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-forming-new-committee-to-review-league-and-team-policies-regarding-diversity">NFL.com</a>. The individual can be a minority or a female, and will be signed to a one-year deal, partially paid from a league-wide fund.
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to sports@dailywire.com.

SPORTS-FBN-KELLY-COLUMN-FL

Two Additional Black Coaches Join Brian Flores’ Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Against The NFL

Sports

A Binghamton University professor wrote in her syllabus that she would prioritize calling on “minorities, women and shy people,” adding that she would likely call on white males last. She was told to remove the wording from her syllabus, but now activist students and professors are defending her actions.
Syracuse.com <a href="https://www.syracuse.com/state/2022/02/binghamton-university-professor-rebuked-for-favoring-minorities-women-over-white-men.html">reported</a> that Binghamton sociology professor Ana Maria Candela made the addition to her syllabus. The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/02/21/suny-binghamton-professor-rebuked-for-race-gender-policy/">added</a> that Candela wrote that “if you are white, male, or someone privileged by the racial and gender structures of our society to have your voice easily voiced and heard, we will often ask you to hold off on your questions or comments to give others priority and will come back to you a bit later or at another time.”
&#8220;Our experience with this practice is that within little time, those who feel most privileged to speak begin to take the initiative to hold space for others who feel less comfortable speaking first, while those who tend to be more silenced in our society grow more comfortable speaking. As you can imagine, it has tremendous benefits for our society as a whole when we learn to hold space and listen to others whose voices are typically disregarded and silenced,&#8221; the syllabus said.
Candela was told to remove the policy, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/binghamton-university-slaps-down-professors-progressive-stacking-section-of-syllabus-for-non-white-folks">reported</a>, and a spokesperson for the school said it violated school policy.
&#8220;The Faculty Staff Handbook outlines principles of effective teaching, which include valuing and encouraging student feedback, encouraging appropriate faculty-student interaction, and respecting the diverse talents and learning styles of students. The syllabus statement you have brought to our attention clearly violates those principles. The faculty member has updated their syllabus, removing the section in question, and is now in compliance with the Faculty Staff Handbook,&#8221; the spokesperson told the outlet.
But that was not the end of the story. WSKG <a href="https://wskg.org/students-faculty-rally-behind-bu-prof-censured-for-progressive-stacking-practice/">reported</a> that more than 100 people attended a rally to support Candela’s policy. Professor Tina Chronopoulos told the outlet that Candela’s policy shouldn’t have been removed.
“[Faculty] are worried that, you know, whenever they bring up, quote unquote, ‘these difficult topics,’ that they’ll get blowback from people who feel like they’re being discriminated against,” she said.
Candela herself told rally attendees that she appreciates the support she has received.
“That tells you something about what students are experiencing on this campus,” Candela reportedly said. “That you have to write a statement to help them to feel safe coming into the classroom space, to speak their voices, to have their voices heard.”
The College Fix <a href="https://www.thecollegefix.com/students-professors-demand-scholar-be-allowed-to-call-on-white-male-or-someone-privileged-last/">reported</a> that Binghamton sociology professor William Martin began a change.org petition to support Candela, claiming her policy is “inclusive.”
“Dr. Candela recognizes as we do that our classroom discussions are often dominated by a minority of persons reflecting societal class, racial and gender inequalities. … Many of our students all too often feel marginalized, and discussions are constrained and limited as a result. We should not pretend otherwise,” Martin wrote.
Martin added that Candela should be “celebrate[d]” for her policy.
As the Fix noted, not everyone supports Candela. One student in her class, Sean Harrigan, filed an anti-gender discrimination complaint against the professor for the policy.
“How am I supposed to get a full participation grade if I’m not called on because of the way I was born?” Harrigan told the Post.

We all know the answer!

A Professor Publicly Noted She Would Call On White Males Last. Students, Professors Support Her.

Title IX

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich submitted a petition for rulemaking to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) asking for the agency to adopt a rule that would prohibit the use of race or ethnicity when determining who should get medical therapies.
&#8220;This is another example of President Biden further dividing our country,&#8221; Brnovich said in a press release about his petition. &#8220;Race-based decisions in the distribution of medicine are a breach of our Constitution and our belief that every patient deserves the highest quality of care.&#8221;
The press release noted that the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) “allows agencies to issue rules and regulations. This is done through the development and publishing of proposed and final rules, allowing for public input into each regulation.”
The AG’s office said that due to the way the Biden administration issued its guidance on race-based medical care, requesting a rule is the only option currently available to Brnovich. If the administration “ignores or denies this request and continues this blatant discrimination,” however, the AG could file a lawsuit.
Brnovich also suggested the administration’s guidance could violate the Arizona Civil Rights Act, and told people to file a civil rights complaint with his office if they were the “victim of such discrimination.”
As The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/multiple-states-prioritizing-covid-care-based-on-race-thanks-to-the-fda">reported</a>, multiple states have began prioritizing COVID-19 treatments for non-white residents, thanks to guidance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“In New York, racial minorities are automatically eligible for scarce COVID-19 therapeutics, regardless of age or underlying conditions. In Utah, ‘Latinx ethnicity’ counts for more points than ‘congestive heart failure’ in a patient’s ‘COVID-19 risk score’—the state’s framework for allocating monoclonal antibodies. And in Minnesota, health officials have devised their own ‘ethical framework’ that prioritizes black 18-year-olds over white 64-year-olds—even though the latter are at much higher risk of severe disease,” the Washington Free Beacon <a href="https://freebeacon.com/coronavirus/food-and-drug-administration-drives-racial-rationing-of-covid-drugs/">reported</a>.
The racial discrimination stems from the FDA’s guidance when authorizing monoclonal antibodies and oral antivirals for emergency use. The FDA only authorized these treatments for “high risk” patients, and included race as a factor determining someone to be “high risk.” As the Free Beacon noted:
<blockquote>The <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/149534/download">FDA “fact sheet” for Sotrovimab</a>, the only monoclonal antibody effective against the Omicron variant, states that “race or ethnicity” can “place individual patients at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19.” The <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/155050/download">fact sheet for Paxlovid</a>, Pfizer’s new antiviral pill, uses the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s definition of “high risk,” which states that “systemic health and social inequities” have put minorities “at increased risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19.”</blockquote>
Even though the guidance is nonbinding, several states have used them to justify extremely harmful race-based triage, to the detriment of those at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19.
Minnesota, for example, explicitly cites the FDA as the reason it is discriminating against higher-risk white people in favor of lower-risk minorities.
“The FDA has acknowledged that in addition to certain underlying health conditions, race and ethnicity ‘may also place individual patients at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19,’” Minnesota’s racial triage plan states. “FDA’s acknowledgment means that race and ethnicity alone, apart from other underlying health conditions, may be considered in determining eligibility for [monoclonal antibodies].”
Utah justifies the race-based triage similarly, stating that the FDA “specifically states that race and ethnicity may be considered when identifying patients most likely to benefit from this lifesaving treatment.”
Further, as The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ny-department-of-health-prioritizes-people-of-color-for-oral-covid-19-therapies">reported</a>, New York’s triage stated that “Non-white race or Hispanic/Latino ethnicity should be considered a risk factor, as longstanding systemic health and social inequities have contributed to an increased risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19.”

US-HEALTH-VIRUS-ICU-virus

Arizona AG Asks HHS To Prohibit Racial Discrimination In COVID-19 Treatments

COVID

On Monday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear two cases relating to the use of race preferences in college admissions.
There are two lawsuits – one against the University of North Carolina the other against Harvard. The group bringing both challenges is Students for Fair Admissions, led by attorney Edward Blum.
Harvard is being <a href="https://www.scotusblog.com/2022/01/court-will-hear-challenges-to-affirmative-action-at-harvard-and-university-of-north-carolina/">accused</a> of discriminating against Asian American students in admissions and the group is asking the Supreme Court to also look at whether the school is <a href="https://www.lawyerscommittee.org/students-for-fair-admissions-sffa-v-harvard/">violating</a> Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act, which prohibits racial discrimination for places that get federal funding.
The University of North Carolina is being accused of violating the Civil Rights Act and the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees equal protection under the law. The group <a href="https://www.lawyerscommittee.org/students-for-fair-admissions-sffa-v-university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill/">says</a> the university <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/supreme-court-to-consider-challenges-to-race-conscious-admissions-policies-at-harvard-unc-11643035684">violates</a> this by taking into account the race of students when admitting them.
Harvard is a private university and UNC is public, meaning the implications for the rulings could be very wide ranging. Lower courts previously <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/appeals-court-rejects-affirmative-action-lawsuit-against-harvard-n1247545">ruled</a> that the schools could consider race in admissions.
On Tuesday, Harvard’s president sent out a message to members of the Harvard community, saying, “Those who challenge our admissions policies would ask us to rely upon a process far more mechanistic, a process far more reliant on simple assessments of objective criteria.” The statement said Harvard will continue to defend their admissions policies.
In 2003, the Supreme Court <a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2002/02-241">ruled</a> on a case involving race and admissions, called Grutter v. Bollinger. They <a href="https://casetext.com/case/grutter-v-bollinger-et-al">found</a> that the University of Michigan Law School’s use of race in its admissions process did not violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Civil Rights Act.
In the majority opinion, however, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Grutter_v._Bollinger">wrote</a>, “The Court expects that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary to further the interest approved today.”
Legal analyst Erin Hawley, former clerk for Chief Justice John Roberts, spoke to The Daily Wire about the Grutter case.
&#8220;In a highly contentious case, a five-four decision&#8230; they upheld the admissions process in the University of Michigan, but they did it in a really narrow way,&#8221; Hawley said. &#8220;They said that the state of Michigan and the University of Michigan did have a compelling interest in sort of a diverse student body&#8230;&#8221;
There was a similar case decided in 2013 in which the court ruled in the other direction. In Fisher vs. University of Texas, a caucasian female student argued she was denied admission based on race. In a 7-1 majority, the high Court sided with the student saying the university’s admission policy did not meet a strict standard.
In taking up the Harvard and UNC cases, the Supreme Court will essentially decide whether or not it should overrule the Grutter decision.
The high Court put both of the cases together for argument, which is expected to take place next term. There likely won’t be a decision until next summer. 
“&#8230;I think you probably have a majority that&#8217;s very skeptical of Grutter. Grutter departed from the original text of the Fourteenth Amendment and its promise [of] equal protection under the law,&#8221; Hawley said.
&#8220;And you&#8217;ve got the Chief Justice again who said&#8230;the best way to stop discriminating on race is to actually stop discriminating based on race and not to consider racial factors,&#8221; she added.

CF07BCA0-4049-4C9B-8B30-DA3AF4C99BC7_1_201_a

Legal Analyst Weighs In On Supreme Court Affirmative Action Cases

Affirmative Action

College

On Monday, the United States Supreme Court <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/just-in-supreme-court-will-hear-cases-challenging-race-based-affirmative-action">announced</a> it would hear a case challenging race-based admission practices in higher education. On Wednesday, the White House confirmed that President Joe Biden would be <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/psaki-refuses-to-answer-if-kamala-harris-being-considered-for-supreme-court-biden-reiterated-his-commitment-to-nominating-a-black-woman">committed to nominating</a> a Supreme Court justice using a race-based admission practice and would be choosing a black woman for the court to replace the outgoing justice, Stephen Breyer.
Both announcements center around the choosing of a candidate or nominee based on immutable characteristics to determine their qualifications. This juxtaposition was not lost on conservatives who sounded the alarm on Biden&#8217;s race-based nominee process. For example, The Daily Wire&#8217;s Matt Walsh pointed out Biden&#8217;s decision is most likely &#8220;completely illegal.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s actually completely illegal for a government official to specifically exclude certain races when hiring someone for a position,&#8221; Walsh tweeted. &#8220;It&#8217;s illegal in about ten different ways in fact. Not that any of that matters to Biden or the Left of course.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
It&#39;s actually completely illegal for a government official to specifically exclude certain races when hiring someone for a position. It&#39;s illegal in about ten different ways in fact. Not that any of that matters to Biden or the Left of course.
&mdash; Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1486425325001232390?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Indeed, George Washington University Professor Jonathan Turley <a href="https://thehill.com/opinion/judiciary/487961-did-biden-realize-his-discriminatory-pledge-for-his-supreme-court-pick">wrote in 2020</a> that Biden&#8217;s campaign pledge — now presidential pledge — was patently discriminatory and entirely similar to outlawed affirmative action practices:
<blockquote>Imposing an absolute requirement that a nominee be a particular gender and race is effectively an affirmative action pledge. It is precisely what the Supreme Court already declared to be unconstitutional discrimination. In the 1977 case of Regents of the University of California versus Allan Bakke, the Supreme Court found quota and affirmative action admissions policies based on race to be unconstitutional. While the justices were fractured on the logic, a clear plurality on the bench supported the view that preferring “members of any one group for no reason other than race or ethnic origin is discrimination for its own sake,” adding “this the Constitution forbids.”</blockquote>
The Daily Wire reached out to Alex Deise, an attorney and policy manager at FreedomWorks, to get his take on the matter.
&#8220;When Joe Biden&#8217;s presidential campaign was struggling, he promised the voters that he would nominate a black woman if there was a vacancy on the Supreme Court,&#8221; Deise explained. &#8220;Instead of considering merit, qualifications, background, experience, judicial temperament or quality of writing, Biden thought the candidate should be picked solely on the basis of immutable characteristics.&#8221;
&#8220;In that way, it seems quite fitting that the Biden Administration will likely find itself in the Supreme Court arguing in favor of Harvard and the University of North Carolina as they defend their race-based admissions policies, the same policies Biden has employed here,&#8221; Deise continued.
SCOTUS Blog <a href="https://www.scotusblog.com/2022/01/court-will-hear-challenges-to-affirmative-action-at-harvard-and-university-of-north-carolina/">reported</a> that the Supreme Court would hear a case that has the potential to outlaw higher education using race-based admission, even to craft a &#8220;diverse&#8221; student body:
<blockquote>The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to reconsider the role of race in college admissions. In a brief <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/012422zor_m6io.pdf">order</a>, the justices agreed to take up two cases asking them to overrule their landmark 2003 decision in <a href="https://casetext.com/case/grutter-v-bollinger-et-al">Grutter v. Bollinger</a>, holding that the University of Michigan could consider race as part of its efforts to assemble a diverse student body. The decision to grant review in the two new cases suggests that the court’s conservative majority is poised to do just that.</blockquote>
On Monday, Deise <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/attorney-supreme-court-has-historic-opportunity-to-end-race-based-college-admissions?%3Futm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=dwtwitter">told</a> The Daily Wire that with these two cases, &#8220;the Supreme Court has a historic opportunity to eliminate the ability of colleges and universities to explicitly discriminate on the basis of race in their admissions process.&#8221;
In the past, Justice Clarence Thomas has deemed such practices as &#8220;racial engineering&#8221; that has &#8220;insidious consequences&#8221; for all involved.
&#8220;There can be no doubt that the University’s discrimination injures white and Asian applicants who are denied admission because of their race,&#8221; Thomas said in 2012 regarding the University of Texas&#8217; use of race in college applications. &#8220;But I believe the injury to those admitted under the University’s discriminatory admissions program is even more harmful.&#8221;
Regardless of whom Biden chooses, Deise affirmed Thomas&#8217;s view of race neutrality and advocated the new justice adopt Thomas&#8217; posturing.
&#8220;Hopefully, whoever President Biden nominates to the Court will take the bold and courageous stand that Justice Thomas has, and conclude that the use of race in the college admissions process is unconstitutional because it violates the Equal Protection Clause&#8217;s core tenet of race neutrality,&#8221; Deise said.

Joe Biden Hands Raised

As Supreme Court Hears Challenge Against Race-Based College Admissions, Joe Biden Wants Race-Based Supreme Court Nominee

Menu