Being a student-athlete is tough. Being a person of color while trying to juggle your studies, your sports team, and a social life can be even tougher. College students of color often unfairly have targets on their backs, put there by university administrators or even civil law enforcement, as a recent racial profiling incident demonstrates.
Delaware State University Bus Search Incident
In April of 2022, the Delaware State University (DSU) women's lacrosse team was on a bus on Interstate 95 in Georgia, when police officers stopped the bus and conducted a search of all the team members' and coaches' belongings. The officers were later accused of racial profiling which is, according Georgia NAACP state president Gerald Griggs, not uncommon on this corridor of I-95.
The officers stopped the bus from the historically Black college on the pretext of a minor traffic violation but instead searched for illegal drugs. They went through everyone's bags and utilized a narcotics-sniffing K-9 dog as well. When a video of the incident was released, DSU president Tony Allen issued a letter to the university claiming that the law enforcement members were trying to intimidate the student-athletes into confessing to having drugs.
The Liberty County Sheriff William Bowman held a press conference after the video of the bus search was released, saying the deputies who stopped the bus did not know the race or gender of its passengers. Bowman also announced that the county Sheriff's Office will investigate the incident. Shortly after, on May 19, the Georgia NAACP also announced an investigation relating to the DSU bus search.
Racial Bias on College Campuses
College students of color tend to face more bias when it comes to disciplinary issues. Unfortunately, incidents like the bus search of the DSU women's lacrosse team are common and law enforcement officers aren't the only ones who profile students of color. When a Black student is involved in a disciplinary procedure at a college or university—if they are accused of wrongdoing—they can often expect not to be treated the same way as an accused white student.
At historically Black colleges like DSU, racial bias in discipline may not be an issue, but many Black students don't attend colleges like DSU. They go to universities where disciplinary or academic hearing panels are comprised of mostly white administrators or white fellow students. As a person of color, going before an all- or mostly-white disciplinary board can feel intimidating, and those board members may make decisions or pass judgment with an implicit bias they're not even aware they have.
Working with a Student Defense Attorney-Advisor
As a student of color accused of misconduct at your university, you may fear that you won't get a fair hearing. To hold your school to account, you can hire a legal advisor specializes in student defense. They will ensure your school grants you due process rights and follows its own procedures. An advisor can also help you prepare a solid defense.
Attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team have helped hundreds of students nationwide with misconduct matters and has the expertise to deal with your college or university. Contact the Lento Law Firm today by calling 888-535-3686 with your questions about defending yourself and protecting your rights and interests.
Comments
There are no comments for this post. Be the first and Add your Comment below.
Leave a Comment