A graduate of Utah State University (USU) has filed a federal lawsuit against the institution, claiming that a racist caricature was drawn of him and projected onto the class whiteboard by the director of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program.
Greg Noel, the graduate, alleges that the school failed to investigate and discipline the director, and that the offensive drawing created an abusive learning environment.
The caricature was drawn after Noel had an outburst due to technical difficulties and lost pages of an assignment.
The director accused Noel of having the potential for violence and ordered him to undergo treatment.
One year after the written reprimand was removed from his file, Noel decided to sue USU.
The school has responded to the allegations, stating that it followed its non-discriminatory policy procedures and process, and that sanctioning falls under the faculty code.
USU also criticized Noel’s attorneys for using the media to litigate their case.
