The Upper Midwest Law Center (UMLC) has filed lawsuits against several Minnesota institutions, including a school and the Hennepin Health Care System for “Critical Race Theory (CRT) bullying and retaliation.”
A press release from UMLC says, “Our clients seek an end to the ‘official’ propagandizing of CRT and the bullying and retaliation which accompany it, and appropriate remedies for the harm caused to them and others. UMLC will pursue these charges and lawsuits until we can achieve justice for them and a vindication of the American principle reaffirmed by Martin Luther King, Jr., of judging people by the ‘content of their character,’ not the color of their skin, or their willingness to submit to CRT ideology.”
The UMLC says that it and its clients believe that it is every citizen’s right to not be judged by their race and that “all have the right and responsibility to understand and critically assess history and culture and that no one should ever have advantages or detriments based on race.”
UMLC argues CRT does just the opposite. The group said, “The practical consequences of this CRT, BLM or 1619 Project ideology (all with Marxist origins) include the familiar hallmarks of racial discrimination from the Civil Rights Era: race-based discrimination and favoritism, bullying of critics, name-calling and retaliation.”
One of the lawsuits is against the Lakeville School District, District 194, where students were told they could not display “All Lives Matter” or “Blue Lives Matter” posters during ISD 194’s Inclusive Poster Series.
The draft of the lawsuit reads, “ISD 194’s viewpoint discrimination violates the First Amendment and creates a hostile educational environment for students.” The fight against CRT in this district has been going on for a while. As was reported by The Minnesota Sun in May, “100 parents were reportedly in attendance at a school board meeting in Lakeville, Minnesota on Tuesday to speak out against CRT being implemented.”
Another complaint filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission with the help of UMLC was by an employee of the Hennepin Health System, saying she had been demoted from her position as chair of the OBGYN Department for her beliefs and for speaking out against CRT and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Two other claims were also made against the Minnesota Security Hospital and the Department of Human Services for discrimination. One of the employees claimed he was denied days off and threatened with termination for his beliefs regarding CRT. Another employee of the Minnesota Security Hospital said he was forced into early retirement due to “hostile working conditions.”
According to the UMLC website, “UMLC is a non-profit, public interest law firm with the mission to initiate pro-freedom litigation to protect against constitutional violations, government overreach, special interest agendas and public union corruption and abuses.”
They are assisting these parties to fight back against what they call “CRT bullying.” UMLC did not immediately reply to The Minnesota Sun’s request for comment.
– – –
Hayley Tschetter is a reporter with The Minnesota Sun | Star News Network and The College Fix. She graduated with a degree in Communications from the University of Northwestern-St. Paul. Send news tips to [email protected].
