A white professor from New Jersey has filed a lawsuit against his workplace over racial pay disparity, as he’s receiving less pay than his black colleagues. Well, that certainly takes the fight for racial equality in a new direction. That is a good sign.
According to The Postmillennial, William T. Lavell, a chemistry professor at Camden County College with 25 years of teaching experience at the school, is currently making $91,923 a year. Honestly, that’s not too shabby. However, it seems that two black engineering professors at the same school are making a bit more than he is.
Melvin Roberts has worked at the college for 31 years and is making $137,157, while Lawrence Chatman has 30 years of experience and is currently making $142,606.
“According to the lawsuit, Lavell wants more than $150,000 to compensate his person both financially and as personal relief to his self-esteem. He reportedly tried filing a complaint through proper channels to the college president Donald Borden, but Lavell’s proposal was denied,” the PM reports. Inequality doesn’t work both ways for these high brow elitists.
“What’s pointed out in the NJ.com piece is that white people have a higher burden of proof to clear. According to employment lawyer Jamison Mark: if it was a person of color or a female that’s the only barrier they have to prove. That they themselves were discriminated against. But since it’s a white guy in this case, Lavell has to prove that his employers show a pattern of discrimination against certain types of employees,” the report continues.
“The laws for discrimination are there for a reason. Whether you’re white, Black or brown, it doesn’t matter, you can’t be treated unfairly,” Mark went on to say.
In Lavell’s case, the professor purportedly analyzed the pay disparity between himself and his “non-Caucasian counterparts.”
Folks, we are living in strange, strange times.
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