Univ. of Colo. Drops Diversity Class Limited to 'Students of Color'
by Jim Brown
August 6, 2004
(AgapePress) - The threat of a civil rights lawsuit has prompted the University of Colorado to drop a segregated class restricted to minorities and first-generation college students.CU has agreed to no longer bar white students from the Friday section of an education course called "School and Society." The change of heart comes after three students vowed to sue the university for racial discrimination. Their attorney, Rob Corry, says CU needed to be educated about the basic principle that "separate but equal" is not equal, but rather unconstitutional.
"Ironically, this course also satisfies the University of Colorado's diversity requirement that every student must take at least one class that can be classified as a 'diversity class' in order to graduate," Corry observes. "Here you had a situation where students were being forced to take a diversity class, and then [were] locked out of that class because of their race.
"There's a double standard afoot where there are certain groups that are given preferences and other groups that are discriminated against."
The attorney says he is pleased with the school's about-face, but points out CU has violated equal protection laws before. "Over and over again, this happens at CU," Corry says. "They always wait till the last minute -- they wait till we're standing on the courthouse steps, ready to file a case, when they finally give in."
In February, CU censored an affirmative action bake sale by the College Republicans. The attorney says in this case, the school "got caught with their hand in the cookie jar, and they eventually gave in."
Corry says the university has met all of his demands and apologized, noting it sent an e-mail to all students informing them there would be no more racial restrictions on academic programs.
