MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (AP) -- A former student claims in a lawsuit that the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey discriminated against him for the way he described his background in classroom discussions on cultural diversity.
Paulo Serodio said that in 2006, he told a professor and classmates that he was "white, African, American,'' which he says accurately reflects the fact that he was born in Mozambique but later became a U.S. citizen.
He said some classmates and staff members at New Jersey Medical School found it offensive that a Caucasian man would call himself "African-American'' and that the fallout led to harassment and eventually his suspension from the school.
Serodio, who lives in Newark, said some school employees and students told him not to describe himself as ``African-American.'' In the aftermath of his comments, Serodio said, flyers were hung around the school mocking him, he was assaulted and his car was vandalized.
His lawyer, Gregg Zeff, said Serodio eventually was suspended for ``conduct unbecoming'' a student.
The suspension came directly from his remarks in class, Zeff said.
Serodio filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Newark on Monday. He is seeking damages from the university and several faculty members and administrators.
University spokesman Jeffrey Tolvin said he could not comment because the university had not seen the lawsuit.
Hatbox
Will some one wake me when the ignorance stops! Honestly in a place where you'd think you can find some form of intelligence like a school administration and discover that there is none is quite frightening.
Yes he is African American if he was born in Africa and now calls America his home. The logic is in the description and how the administration could be so blind to it is beyond me.
It's articles like these that make me want to walk out my front door and slap some one.
1I would really like to see an elaborated version of this story, I feel like it's missing something. But from what's here, it sounds beyond ridiculous. Poor guy.
2This guy sounds seems to be more accurately African American than a lot of people who self identify as African American. I'm confused as to why people are offended.
3I agree organicsugr. The problem is we've allowed the technically inaccurate term to grow legs and become mainstream however there is nothing we can do about that now. What we can do however is have sense not to ignore logic and accept the fact that it has two meanings one literal and one slang.
4OMG
. I don't even know what to say. He is African American. He is by far
more African American than I am...I've never even been to Africa.
5Wow, this is ridiculous!
6So, as a Euro American, it is appropriate for me to make my decisions as to who has and has not the right to call themselves Euro Americans based on skin pigmentation?
7"It's articles like these that make me want to walk out my front door and slap some one."
Remind me not to go past your house on my morning walks, Hypno
I agree though...the ignorance behind this entire story--the fact that it happened at all -- is astounding. Frightening.
8why did he wait so long to make his claim, though?
9http://www.internationalfreepresssociety.org/2009/05/born-and-raised-in-...
Here's a longer article.
10Thanks for the article, Steph. That's actually much worse than I expected, poor guy. I can't imagine the kind of ignorance, intolerance, and over-sensitivity that would cause somebody complain about an African American person calling themselves African American.
11This is a medical school for God's sake. The last place you would expect that someone would be judged not by the content of their character, but solely on the color of their skin. I hope he wins, and gets a big enough settlement to slap that school hard enough that they maybe can wake up and join the 21st century.
12I will join the mob here!
The longer article does make it worse! This poor guy!
13Post A Comment
To post comments, please log in or register.