Middle Tennessee State University faces a federal civil rights complaint accusing MTSU of discrimination through 17 minority-preferred scholarships.
The Equal Protection Project based in Barrington, Rhode Island, filed the complaint May 8 with the Office of Civil Rights for the U.S. Department of Education offices in Washington and Atlanta, according to a document shared with a press release embargoed for 1 p.m. May 8.
The complaining organization’s press release included comments from William A. Jacobson, founder of the Equal Protection Project (EqualProtect.org).
“The use of DEI in higher education is controversial, particularly in ‘red’ states,'” Jacobson said in the press release.
“Regardless of where one stands on DEI, violation of the Civil Rights Act is unlawful. It is time for higher education everywhere to focus on treating each student as an individual, rather than categorizing students based on identity groups.”
The 17 scholarships mentioned in the complaint included the Edith Ann Clark Moore Scholarship with the following guideline: “Preference will also be afforded to students whoare underrepresented minorities.” Moore grew up in the Murfreesboro area and attended the former historic Cemetery School that served Black children prior to desegregation in Rutherford County.
“It is shocking that in a state like Tennessee, which has passed legislation seeking to avoid discrimination done in the name of DEI, that openly discriminatory scholarships are offered at a major state university,” Jacobson said in the press release.
“MTSU has strong non-discrimination policies. MTSU should live up to its own rules, and remove the discriminatory eligibility barriers it has erected.
“At EPP our guiding principle is that the remedy for racism never is more racism. To the extent MTSU seeks greater diversity, there are many lawful means of achieving that goal, but discrimination is not one of them.”
This is a developing story. The DNJ has reached out MTSU for comment.
The press release offered the following additional comments from Jacobson.
“The Equal Protection Project calls on the senior administration of MTSU to make sure nondiscrimination standards are upheld throughout the institution,” the release said.
“At EPP we have filed almost 100 cases challenging over 300 discriminatory scholarships and programs. In no case are we aware of a school claiming it was free to discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin, so why does it keep happening? Unfortunately there is a culture on many campuses that excuses some forms of racial discrimination, and that needs to stop.
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