Obama judge rules CRT trainings can violate federal law after it traumatized White teacher
An Obama-appointed judge ruled in favor of a Pennsylvania college professor who sued his employer over critical race theory trainings he alleged were anti-White, including one that said "White Teachers are a Problem," according to a lawsuit.
A former professor at Penn State Abington, Zack De Piero, sued for race discrimination after he was allegedly subjected to training that the English language is racist and the embodiment of "White supremacy," along with additional tirades against White people in professional development sessions and meetings, according to a lawsuit.
He explained to Fox News Digital in an interview Wednesday that the trainings were traumatic since he can't get them out of his head.
"There's a constant ticker tape, like a newsreel. I see, I hear that disgusting evil phrase. ‘White teachers are a problem,'" he said. "I wish I could get it out of my head, but I can't."
"I still wake up with this stuff. I still go to bed with this stuff. It still bothers me. It's changed me in a lot of ways. You often hear that hardship leads to greater character. While that might be true, it certainly comes at a cost," he said.
Judge Wendy Beetlestone of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ruled on Jan. 11 that Professor De Piero had solid grounds to proceed in his race discrimination lawsuit despite Penn State's request for it to be dismissed.
Beetlestone said that discussing the "influence of racism on our society does not violate federal law." But when considering whether to allow the professor's suit to progress, she considered the type of CRT training used at Penn State Abington.
"Training on concepts such as… critical race theory can contribute positively… to form a healthy and inclusive working environment," she said. "But the way these conversations are carried out in the workplace matters: When employers talk about race — any race — with a constant drumbeat of essentialist, deterministic, and negative language, they risk liability under federal law."
De Piero "was individually singled out for ridicule and humiliation because of the color of his skin," according to the original lawsuit filed by the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism (FAIR).
When he complained about "the continuous stream of racial insult directed at White faculty," he was told by the director of the Affirmative Action office that "There is a problem with the White race." The administrator went on to say that the professor should attend "antiracist" workshops "until you get it."
Some of the workshops included a presentation captioned "White Teachers are a Problem," according to the lawsuit.
"I see this as an ideological mob that is hostile to free speech, civil discourse, true debate, empirical data," the professor said.
His direct report in the English department, Liliana Naydan, "expressed her view that racism practiced against White faculty and students is legitimate," according to the lawsuit. Naydan did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The lawsuit alleged Naydan tried to coerce faculty to introduce equity into the grading process to ensure there weren't disparities by "penaliz[ing] students academically on the basis of race."
An equity administrator named in the suit, Alina Wong, engaged in breathing exercises in one session and suggested White staff needed to hold their breath longer than people of color in order to "'feel the pain’ that George Floyd endured," according to the lawsuit.
"De Piero and other faculty were thus singled out, caused to experience discomfort, and feel ‘the pain’ on the basis of their skin color," the lawsuit said. Wong no longer works at Penn State.
Another professional development video said that "White English… kills people of color," according to the suit.
Penn State also officially warned De Piero that "dissenting from Penn State’s race-based dogma" would result in "disciplinary action," the lawsuit said.
The professor ended up leaving his position.
"Penn State actively treated De Piero as the problem, suggesting mental health treatment and disciplining him for bullying when he dared to complain. As a result, De Piero’s only option to escape the hostile environment was to leave Penn State. This constructive termination occurred on August 2, 2022," the lawsuit said.
In another instance, the then-DEI director emailed all employees "calling on White people" to "feel terrible" about their "own internalized White supremacy" and to "hold other White people accountable.’"
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De Piero’s attorney at FAIR, Michael Thad Allen, reacted to the ruling, saying, "The opinion is clear that… you cannot discriminate on the basis of race by wrapping up racist stereotypes as ‘anti-racist,’ which is what Penn State did to Zack De Piero."
The university released a statement to Fox News Digital that said, "Penn State does not generally comment on ongoing litigation."