Rory Lewis has sued Delaware State University, a historically black institution, claiming that he was denied a deserved promotion because of his race. Mr. Lewis is black.
According to the complaint, Mr. Dougherty [who received the promotion] and Mr. Lewis both were mechanics and carpenters in the shop at the time of the promotion, in July 2004, although Mr. Lewis had been on the job slightly longer. His lawsuit contends that Mr. Dougherty won the promotion because Richard C. Cathcart, associate vice president for business services, wanted to promote a white man to succeed the previous shop leader, who was black.
Let us assume, for the sake of argument, that Mr. Lewis was better qualified but that associate vice president Cathcart, perhaps under pressure from the DSU affirmative action office to produce more “diversity” among department heads, felt the need to promote a white to meet some “goal” (certainly not a quota).
If that were the case, would advocates of race preferences in hiring and admissions regard his choice as wrong? If so, what arguments would they make?
Darnit, John, why do you always have to pose those oh-so-difficult questions?
I could not access the link due to subscription blockage; however, the local DE news notes that Mr. Cathcart is also a member of the state House of Representatives.
I wonder if the the HBCU is going to use the usual argument that it is somehow exempt from all of the civil rights laws remember.
I thought that all black community leaders have argued that diversity is important at white majority university but totally unimportant at HBCU.
“I thought that all black community leaders have argued that diversity is important at white majority university but totally unimportant at HBCU.”
Actually, I’m pretty sure that some argue just the opposite.
My question is, *why* do we need diversity among carpentry teachers? It’s is always a stretch to hear that we need it among Math Professors, but Carpentry?