George Floyd scholarship for black students faces federal discrimination complaint

George Floyd scholarship for black students faces federal discrimination complaint



A George Floyd scholarship made available only to black students is in violation of the Civil Rights Act, according to a federal complaint.

North Central University in Minneapolis, Minnesota, established the scholarship in 2020 and claims to "impact the learning environment in a positive manner" by simply increasing the number of black students through the program.

The scholarship page also remarked that the act of "diversifying" its learning environment is key to becoming a university that "looks and acts like Heaven."

Under the criteria section, the school noted that applicants must be "a student who is Black or African American, that is, a person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa."

Cornell Law professor William Jacobson wrote in his complaint to the United States Department of Education that the scholarship "engages invidious discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin."

The professor's complaint was directed at the Office for Civil Rights in Chicago, and alleged that the scholarship violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits schools from discriminating based on race.

"Students who identify as white, Hispanic or Asian — are automatically ineligible for the scholarship," he wrote. Title VI "prohibits intentional discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin in any 'program or activity' that receives federal financial assistance," the complaint continued.


Jacobson told the College Fix that the school's requirements were "openly racially discriminatory."

"Regardless of the purpose of the racial discrimination, it is wrong and unlawful," he went on. "NCU needs to come up with a remedial plan to compensate students shut out of the George Floyd Scholarship due to discrimination."

Jacobson cited a Supreme Court decision from 2023 that discriminating based on race for college admissions is illegal. The ruling in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard Collegewas a major change in how affirmative action can applied in the country.

"After the Supreme Court’s decision ... it is clear that discriminating on the basis of race to achieve diversity is not lawful."

"As Chief Justice Roberts wrote in the majority opinion, ‘Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it,'" the professor wrote.

Jacobson also cited Justice Neil Gorsuch in his complaint, who said that it didn't matter if a school's discrimination against a member of a protected class was done so with the intention to promote equality at the group level.

"NCU knows better than to run educational scholarships that exclude students based on race," Jacobson concluded. "NCU’s nondiscrimination policies absolutely forbid racial discrimination. Why isn’t NCU living up to its own rules?"

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After just two months on the job, the new coach for Grambling State University's volleyball team cut all 19 players from the squad Monday based on their performances in three practices — a move that also eliminated their scholarships, KSLA-TV reported.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

What are the details?

The Louisiana college on Feb. 14 announced that Chelsey Lucas was hired as the new head coach of the Lady Tigers.

According to Sports Illustrated, Lucas is a 2007 Grambling graduate who coached three years at the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, where she posted a 37–44 overall record and a 37–17 mark in conference play. Before that, she coached three seasons at Alcorn State, the magazine added.

Maurisa Harris — who played three years for Grambling State — told KSLA the coaching staff sent all members of the squad messages about individual meetings, and at those meetings, players were told their scholarships wouldn't be renewed based on their performances at three practices this semester. Harris added to the station that the move left many of her teammates scrambling to transfer to other college programs late in the off-season.

“She said that we weren’t able to practice much, which we weren’t, and she said based off of that, she was not able to renew my scholarship, so I didn’t really get any time to show what I could do," Harris noted to KSLA. "When I was in there, and she told me, my heart completely broke. ... I didn’t cry in there, but I did when I left, and it just hurts really bad, the fact that it was snatched away so fast."

Sophomore player Destiny Johnson also was taken aback by Lucas' move, Sports Illustrated said.

“I have to say I am actually sick to my stomach," Johnson tweeted Monday. "All the time, energy, [and] dedication I put into the volleyball program here at Grambling State has been thrown right back in my face. My entire team has been robbed of our last years to play the sport we love by a woman who has come in and disrespected and belittled us since day 1. I’m so upset that the [athletic director] has made no effort to look further into this. Grambling State University, especially the athletic department, should be truly ashamed of themselves. We deserve so much better than this. It's all good, though; I know God has so much better in store for me ..."

What did athletics department staff have to say?

Athletics communications director Brian Howard told the station the athletics department knew Lucas would be making some roster changes, but he said he didn't know to what extent. And while the coach's move wasn't previously discussed, Howard told KSLA that's acceptable because such changes are at the coach’s discretion.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Howard added to the station that it was Lucas' "decision to make, and she’s got some quality players coming on board. I think 14 or 15 coming on board at some point, so in terms of things, I hate to say 'out with the old, but in with the new' a little bit. Obviously we don’t want them to be cut or lose their scholarships or whatever that might be or whatever that might look like. At the end of the day, Coach Lucas has a goal, has a vision. We have a goal as an institution, and a vision as well to win, and that’s first and foremost.”

Athletic Director Trayveon Scott issued a statement this week that reads, "Just as the transfer portal empowers student-athletes, our coaches are also empowered to make the decisions they deem necessary to advance their programs," KSLA said.

The station said Lucas didn't respond to its request for comment on her decision. But a subsequent KSLA story quoted the head coach as saying, “I met with my team, each student-athlete, individually to discuss my plans moving forward with the Grambling State University volleyball program. My decision was to not to bring back some of the current student-athletes on the team. While student-athletes are granted athletic scholarships, a scholarship is not guaranteed and not binding, per NCAA rules and regulations.”

Anything else?

Parents of high schoolers set to play for the Grambling State volleyball team this fall told KSLA that their scholarships also are no longer being honored.

A family member of one prospective player told the station the coaching staff sent the following email from Lucas this week: “Hope you had a great weekend. As the head coach of the Grambling State University Volleyball team, the decisions are made for the entire GSU Volleyball Program. With that being said, I am not honoring the walk-on letter of intent that was given to you by the previous coach. I wish you the best on your next steps of your volleyball career.”

KSLA, citing sources, said some players who were cut are holding a meeting this week to discuss possible courses of action.

Entire Grambling Volleyball Team Cutyoutu.be

After high school suspends football players for carrying Thin Blue, Red Line flags, a local group awards scholarships to the two teens



An Ohio nonprofit group has awarded a scholarship to the two Little Miami High School football players who were suspended from school after carrying a Thin Blue Line flag and a Thin Red Line flag before a Sept. 11 game.

What's a brief history here?

Brady Williams, whose father is a sheriff's deputy, and Jarad Bentley, whose father is a fireman, insisted that they wanted to honor those killed in the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

Following the move, school authorities suspended the two and in a statement said that the teens were turned down when they initially requested to fly the flags before the game.

Superintendent Gregory Power said, "We can't have students who decide to do something anyway after they've been told they shouldn't be doing it. ... We did not want to place ourselves in a circumstance where another family might want a different flag to come out of the tunnel, one that may be [one that] other families may not agree with from a political perspective."

Following outcry, the administration rescinded the suspension order and permitted the teens to return to school.

Two Little Miami football players pay the price for civil disobedience. They were told not to carry onto the field… https://t.co/xIlsNPIF9d
— David Winter (@David Winter)1600119515.0

What are the details?

On Friday, an Ohio nonprofit group called "Holiday for Heroes" announced it would be awarding the teens a scholarship for their support of police officers and firefighters.

In a statement, the group said, "Brady and Jarad are true PATRIOTS, they did something last Friday that showed they are far beyond their years. These men stood up for a cause they believe in. As they took the field with flags in hand it reminded us how we felt 19 years ago, heartbroken yet strong and united."

According to Fox News, "Holiday for Heroes" has not yet disclosed the scholarship amounts.

Previous scholarship awards have been issued in the amounts of $2,500 and $5,000, according to the group's website.

Last week, the two told "Fox & Friends" that they found a lot of support in the community following the dust-up.

"We wanted to carry out flags to honor the first responders who went towards danger instead of running from it 19 years ago, and we were told 'No' and we kind of took that to heart and we still wanted to honor them and so we did," Williams said during the appearance.

Bentley said he felt compelled to carry the flags "because if it was my dad that had died trying to save those people, I wanted someone to honor him in that way as well."

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