Fired Barber-Scotia Professor Wins Discrimination Lawsuit
CONCORD, N.C.
Barber-Scotia College, a historically Black institution, fired a professor because he is White, a Cabarrus County civil jury has ruled.
The jury deliberated for 2-1/2 hours before returning its verdict for David Miller, a former professor of sociology and criminal justice.
"The jury has sent a message that discrimination against anybody is wrong," says Miller's attorney Wilfred Nwauwa of Charlotte.
The jury awarded Miller two years of back pay at a rate of $33,250 per year, a bonus of 3 percent of his salary, and $7,550 in punitive damages. The back pay was reduced by the amount he was paid by Johnson C. Smith University during the time.
Vernon Russell, attorney for Barber-Scotia, says he will
recommend to the college's board of directors that it appeal the decision.
Officials at the college say they fired Miller because he changed students' grades. Miller says grade-changing was a common practice at the college, and that he didn't change any grades, but made a request through the proper channels for the changes.
During the two-day trial, social sciences department chairman Babafeni Elufiede said Miller requested the changes and Elufiede approved them. Elufiede still works at the college.
© Copyright 2005 by DiverseEducation.com
