A professor is suing Pennsylvania State University for race discrimination, alleging that he was subjected to instruction labeling the English language as racist and embodying “White supremacy.” According to the lawsuit filed by The Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism (FAIR), Professor Zack De Piero, an English professor at Penn State Abington, was individually targeted and humiliated because of his race.
De Piero claims that he complained about the racial insults directed at white faculty in the writing department but was told by the director of the Affirmative Action Office that there was a problem with the white race and that he should attend “antiracist” workshops until he understood. The lawsuit further alleges that De Piero was expected to undergo “antiracist brainwashing” and accept that, as a white person, he was inherently flawed and responsible for historical injustices.
One of the workshops, captioned “White Teachers are a Problem,” associated “white supremacy” with all the world’s evils, according to the lawsuit. De Piero describes the university’s approach as a form of psychological warfare and attempts to break people. Liliana Naydan, De Piero’s direct report, is named in the suit for expressing views that racism practiced against white faculty and students is acceptable.
The lawsuit also accuses an equity administrator named Alina Wong of engaging in breathing exercises and suggesting that white staff should hold their breath longer to feel the pain experienced by George Floyd. Another professional development video presented the idea that “White English kills people of color.” Naydan allegedly instructed her writing faculty to view the English language as racist and writing teachers as racist white supremacists.
The suit claims that Penn State disseminated racist material against white faculty and students on its “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” webpage, including content titled “White Rage,” “White Immunity,” and “White Fragility.” De Piero says that the racially hostile work environment took an emotional toll on him and that he relied on his support network.
When De Piero raised concerns about the allegedly hostile work environment based on race, he claims he faced retaliatory complaints and a negative performance review. Penn State warned him that dissenting from their race-based dogma would result in disciplinary action. Ultimately, De Piero left his position, feeling that escaping the hostile environment was his only option.