Case
Equal Protection Project v. Southern Illinois University Medical School (Scholarship Not Open to White and Asian (non-Pacific Islander) Students Unless They Identify as LBGTQI+ Challenged)
Case Particulars
Tribunal
Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
Date Filed
January 30, 2024
Docket No.
N/A
Case Status
OCR Complaint Filed
Case Overview
EPP filed a Civil Rights Complaint against Southern Illinois University School of Medicine for a scholarship program that discriminates based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Short version: White and Asian (non-Pacific Islander) students cannot apply for the Meares scholarship unless they are “LGBTQI+”. So straight white and Asian student whose “gender identity” aligns with their biological sex (“cisgender” in the gender studies jargon) cannot apply.
EPP is the Complainant in this matter, which is under evaluation by the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
UPDATE: The Southern Illinois School of Medicine website now appears to have removed the racially exclusionary language cited above and in EPP’s OCR Complaint, and replaced it with “[p]reference is given to underrepresented minorities.”
Case Documents
Media Coverage
- SIU School of Medicine under review after civil rights complaint, Kaira Willis, NewsChannel 20 (March 6, 2024)
- SIU School of Medicine scholarship challenged on race, gender identity discrimination grounds, Patrick M. Keck, The State Journal-Register (March 5, 2024)
- Targeting diversity efforts, Scott Reeder, IllinoisTimes (February 17, 2024)
- Southern Illinois U Med School Scholarship Discriminating Against Non-LGBTQI+ White and Asian Students Challenged By Equal Protection Project, William A. Jacobson, Legal Insurrection (January 31, 2024)
- Illinois university medical school hit with complaint over race, gender-based scholarship, Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News (January 30, 2024)