A professor who alleges he was fired for teaching about racial justice has filed a federal civil rights complaint against Palm Beach Atlantic University. Sam Joeckel says his termination by the institution amounts to unlawful discrimination and a violation of his academic freedom.
An attorney for Joeckel says the professor has filed a formal complaint of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, claiming that PBA terminated his contract on the basis of race, in violation of federal civil rights laws that bar workplace discrimination.
“I look forward to working with the EEOC as they investigate the unlawful actions taken by PBA,” Joeckel said in a written statement. “I am hopeful that this will not only right the wrongs that PBA committed against me, but also protect faculty members at PBA and other schools.”
Joeckel taught English at PBA for two decades and says he never heard any concerns from supervisors — until this year, when a parent complained about lessons he was teaching on racial justice.
In an interview with WLRN in March, Joeckel said he believes his termination stems from a state law restricting how topics relating to race, identity and history can be talked about in public schools and universities — despite the fact that PBA is a private university.
“I most definitely think that what is happening here is this 'anti-woke ideology' is now infiltrating even a Christian university like Palm Beach Atlantic University,” Joeckel told WLRN.
“I think we're in really bad shape if even a Christian university is pushing back at an attempt to teach racial justice. That just does not seem right at all.”
READ MORE: A Florida professor says his contract was terminated for teaching about racial justice
In a statement to reporters, Joeckel’s attorney Gabe Roberts said he looks forward to working with the EEOC on its investigation of the case.
“It is undisputed that Palm Beach Atlantic University was motivated by race — in this case, teaching about Racial Justice — in its decision to terminate Dr. Joeckel’s employment,” Roberts said. “If an employment decision is motivated by a protected characteristic such as race, that is an unlawful employment practice in this country.”
The American Association of University Professors has also been monitoring Joeckel’s case and conducted its own review. According to the organization, he was not granted a hearing to appeal his termination.
“The appointment of a faculty member with twenty years of apparently unexceptional service at Palm Beach Atlantic University was abruptly terminated prior to the end of its term after complaints were made regarding his teaching a unit on racial justice,” wrote AAUP Senior Program Officer Michael DeCesare in a letter to PBA President Debra Schwinn.
“We hope you appreciate that if allegations against faculty members were commonly handled in this manner at Palm Beach Atlantic, academic freedom and due process would have little meaning," he said.
A spokesperson for the university did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.
Copyright 2023 WLRN 91.3 FM. To see more, visit WLRN 91.3 FM.
