Chestnut Hill College Taking Discrimination Case To PA Supreme Court: Report

CHESTNUT HILL, PA – A court recently ruled the Chestnut Hill College is subject to Pennsylvania's anti-discrimination rules despite the college's objection to being included in that rule. Now, the college has reportedly appealed the court's decision and will take the fight to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

According to Billy Penn, the college filed the appeal earlier this month in hopes of being vindicated for expelling Allan-Michael Meads.

In its fight, Billy Penn reports the school is getting financial help from the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities.

Meads was expelled in 2012, weeks before his graduation, after being accused of stealing money from a theatrical production put on by the college.

Meads, who is black, denied the accusations and filed a complaint with the state's Human Relations Commission.

The school argued that since it was a private Catholic school, it was not subject to the state's anti-discrimination rules.

However, the court ruled that "colleges, as opposed to parochial schools, perform ‘essentially secular educational functions,’ thus reducing their religious character.”

The outlet reports the state Supreme Court takes very few cases and will likely take a considerable amount of time to respond to the appeal.

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