Howard University defeats white law student's discrimination claims

By Karen Sloan

March 26 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Wednesday threw out discrimination and breach of contract claims brought against Washington, D.C.'s Howard University Law School by a white law student who was expelled from the historically Black institution in 2022.

Judge Trevor McFadden of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia tossed most of the case by plaintiff Michael Newman but allowed the lawsuit to proceed on two claims of defamation against former Howard law dean Danielle Holley, who is now president of Mount Holyoke College.

Newman, who is representing himself, did not provide evidence that the school’s administrators manipulated his grades to prevent him from retaining his $26,000 scholarship and stirred up racial hostility against him, McFadden found.

The evidence “shows that Newman failed to rank in the top half of his class because he struggled academically,” not because of any conspiracy against him by administrators, McFadden wrote in his opinion.

Newman said Thursday that it was an "open secret" that white law students at Howard faced pressure to conform or remain silent.

"HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities) have to be as accountable as anyone else for their role in fostering hostile racial environments," he told Reuters.

A Howard spokesperson said it intends to "fully and firmly defend the remaining claims." Mount Holyoke did not respond to requests for comment.

Newman sued the law school in January 2023, alleging that he was subjected to racist abuse and wrongfully expelled in 2022 after clashing repeatedly with classmates and administrators — often over his comments they deemed inflammatory or offensive.

His lawsuit details a series of messages that Newman — who claims classmates called him racist names including "the White Panther" — posted to law school listservs, group chats or emails pertaining to race that drew objections from classmates. One message read, “Where I part with the black community is where they believe government solves problems, I only see it causing problems.”

Administrators warned Newman that his posts were disruptive and in violation of listserv rules, which led to nearly two years of discrimination complaints and administrative charges brought by and against Newman, with the university ultimately concluding that he had violated the student code of conduct for disruptive conduct and harassment and recommending his expulsion.

McFadden in February 2024 dismissed the bulk of Newman's contract and discrimination claims, as well as his claims of retaliation, conspiracy and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

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