Free speech advocacy group files complaint against NIU for offering programs that allegedly exclude non-black students
The complaint objects to the school’s "Black Male Initiative," among others.
William A. Jacobson noted that "Asian students can't apply. White students can't apply. That's racial discrimination."
A new federal complaint filed by the Equal Protection Project accuses Northern Illinois University (NIU) of discrimination on the basis of race and sex, contending that certain achievement programs offered by the school, such as the “Black Student Achievement Program” and “Black Male Initiative,” unfairly exclude students who do not fit specific minority profiles.
William A. Jacobson, head of the Equal Protection Project, said that the case seems to be an unambiguous instance of racial discrimination.
“Both programs discriminate on the basis of race by their titles and terminology and description of the program. Asian students can’t apply. White students can’t apply,” Jacobson said, according to FOX 32. That’s racial discrimination. That’s about as clear as you can get.”
Jacobson told Campus Reform that he was disappointed with many colleges and universities’ apparent toleration of racial discrimination, stressing that DEI-based initiatives have lost their previous legal feasibility.
“At EqualProtect.org we have challenged numerous higher ed programs that discriminate based on race and ethnicity under the cover of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” Jacobson stated. “The DEI discriminatory philosophy no longer is legally viable, but the message is slow to sink in. To avoid legal liability, schools need to proactively investigate their programming and weed out discrimination.”
An NIU spokesperson told FOX 32 that the school would review the complaint in the near future and subsequently take action if needed.
The Equal Protection Project is a conservative non-profit based in Rhode Island dedicated to promoting “the fair treatment of all persons without regard to race or ethnicity.”
“Our guiding principle is that there is no ‘good’ form of racism,” the group’s website reads. “The remedy for racism never is more racism.”
[RELATED: CUNY announces free speech task force after controversy over anti-Israel protests]
The Equal Protection Project is run by the Legal Insurrection Foundation (LIF), a larger group whose central mission includes the protection of free speech and academic expression in higher education for faculty and students alike.
“Higher education has been heading down a dangerous path for more than a decade now and Legal Insurrection has been there to promote the truth, document the madness, and support those in the academy who care about free speech, viewpoint diversity, and truly educating – not brainwashing – our students,” the group’s website reads.
Campus Reform has reached out to NIU for comment. This story will be updated accordingly.