A U.S. District Court jury found Metropolitan State College of Denver guilty Friday of retribution against African-American professor Richard L. Jackson and awarded him $300,000 in damages.
Jackson has repeatedly accused Metro State of systemic racial discrimination. The jury agreed with Jackson on allegations of a hostile work environment and retaliation, but rejected the allegation of racism.
“They changed his schedule, refused to give him raises and gave him the worst assignments,” said Jackson’s attorney, David Lane. “He was the lowest-paid tenured faculty professor at Metro, with the highest student evaluations of any professor there.”
Jackson, a Metro State criminal justice professor since 1981, filed a lawsuit in 2001 accusing his employer of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
During the trial, retired Metro State professor Walt Cop ley testified that department supervisors and other administrators held Jackson to a separate standard from the school’s white professors.
“We were pleased on the victory of the racial discrimination claim,” said Jason Dunn, a state deputy attorney general.
Representatives from the state attorney general’s office are planning to meet with Lane this month to discuss a settlement. Dunn said the attorney general’s office has not ruled out the possibility of filing an appeal.
Jackson, a vocal Denver activist also known for his candid public doubts about the efficacy of an independent Denver police monitor, expressed some apprehension about returning to work.
“The reason I filed this lawsuit is because I see the same things happening to young African-American and Latino tenure-track professors now,” Jackson said.
“I don’t think Metro is going to change unless the public or the governor or someone steps in. I’d love to say this trial made a difference, but I don’t think so,” he said.
Staff writer Claire Martin can be reached at 303-820-1477 or cmartin@denverpost.com.
