Savannah St Sued - Racism in Not Receiving Scholarships

[RabidRabbit]

Here's an interesting news items that should make the MEACfans discussion.

Savannah State is sued for reverse discrimination for not offering football scholarships to non-blacks

from the Rome News-Times

http://rn-t.com/bookmark/8758041

"Four men filed suit Tuesday in federal district court in Atlanta against Savannah State University and the Board of Regents alleging they were not offered football scholarships to the predominately black college because they are white. (more at link above)"



Read more: RN-T.com - Rome, Georgia news, sports, business, lifestyles, weather, breaking news and more from the Rome News-Tribune.

BTW found this article by clicking on the "Ads by Google" listed at the bottom of the webpages here. Maybe if you'll click those, you may find interesting articles also.

[TexasTerror]

Here's some video on the story...questioning the validity of whether or not budget restrictions came into play or not. Seems that would be Savannah State's way out of this and it is linked to the Robby Wells issue too...


Less than two weeks ago Savannah State University football coach Robby Wells unexpectedly resigned. This came just six days before National Signing Day. In the days after several recruits tell News 3 they found out "word of mouth" or by quick phone calls with coaches still on staff that SSU was no longer interested in any out-of-state recruits. They claimed budgeting restrictions limited their scope.

http://www2.wsav.com/sports/2010/feb/10/controversy_surrounds_savannah_state_football_recr-ar-126049/

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Ugly ugly ugly. But SSU, I think, may have the winning hand here since Wells only gave the kids a verbal commitment. If every kid who got a verbal offer from a school sued every time a school backed out of a verbal commitment, there'd be a flood of litigation all across the USA. The keys here are that all this happened before national signing day and the kids only got a verbal from the head coach, not stuff on SSU stationary saying "Welcome to SSU".

Wells' lawsuit is separate and may truly be a reverse discrimination case, but in the case with the kids I just see it in SSU's favor.

[darell1976]

Unless there is actual proof of them saying "you are not getting a scholarship because you are white" like a tape...they (the kids) won't win.

[TexasTerror]

Ugly ugly ugly. But SSU, I think, may have the winning hand here since Wells only gave the kids a verbal commitment. If every kid who got a verbal offer from a school sued every time a school backed out of a verbal commitment, there'd be a flood of litigation all across the USA. The keys here are that all this happened before national signing day and the kids only got a verbal from the head coach, not stuff on SSU stationary saying "Welcome to SSU".

Correct re: verbal offers.

If these kids had NLIs pulled from under them, that would be another thing.

[bosshogg]

good grief. I am not even an alumnus of this school and I hope this would finally end for their sake

[DFW HOYA]

Every one of Wells' verbal commits who were black got a scholarship by the school, but the four that were not did not get a scholarship.

Coincedence? Well, a court of law (especially a federal court) will look at that claim very seriously and SSU knows a settlement is always preferable to a judgment, which could be financially devastating to the school.

[zymergy]

Every one of Wells' verbal commits who were black got a scholarship by the school, but the four that were not did not get a scholarship.

Coincidence? Well, a court of law (especially a federal court) will look at that claim very seriously and SSU knows a settlement is always preferable to a judgment, which could be financially devastating to the school.

That fact surely doesn't look favorably on the school.

[TexasTerror]

This is from a few months ago, but just found this story. SSU really is developing a bad reputation...


Savannah State University volleyball head coach Malik Rashad Jones is facing a contempt of court charge following his arrest Monday for violating his probation, Thunderbolt Police Capt. James Pierce said Thursday.

Jones, 29, has been released from the Chatham County jail on $250 bond. He has 30 days to pay $706 in fines plus a $200 fee for contempt of court, Pierce said. It was unclear which court issued the citation.

http://savannahnow.com/sports/2010-03-12/ssu-volleyball-coach-arrested

[TexasTerror]

National attention for the SSU program and their lawsuits...


SAVANNAH, Ga. — Earl G. Yarbrough Sr., the president of Savannah State University, would prefer to be trumpeting the school's marine biology class work with its boundless laboratory a few miles away in the Atlantic Ocean. He talked excitedly about the school's Homeland Security curriculum, unique in Georgia, and beamed when the conversation changed to a recent $4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

But sitting in his campus office, Yarbrough instead had to address two racial discrimination lawsuits filed against the school. It is bitter news because he said the doors to the historically black school are open to all.

"I have worked very hard to make this a more diverse campus, and then to be slapped with this eats at your soul," said Yarbrough, president since 2007. "It is constantly on your mind."

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/2010-08-04-savannah-state-lawsuit_N.htm