A Korean American chemistry instructor can pursue allegations that Delgado Community College denied her a promotion and then terminated her because of racial and national origin discrimination, a federal appeals court has ruled.
However, the panel upheld a lower court’s dismissal of hostile work environment and retaliation claims against the New Orleans college.
The college hired Young Buisson in August 2010.
According to the decision, Buisson and other non-Black faculty members complained that the African-American chair of the physical sciences department, Raymond Duplessis, systematically discriminated against them concerning class assignments, schedules, hiring, verbal harassment, academic freedom, email notifications and other matters.
In fall 2010, Buisson unsuccessfully applied for one of two full-time permanent faculty openings, both of which went to Black candidates.
In June 2011, she and Duplessis’ wife, who also was on the faculty, got into a “verbal altercation.” The next month, the college terminated Buisson but didn’t discipline Duplessis’ wife, the suit said.
In a unanimous decision, the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals found sufficient evidence for Buisson to proceed with discrimination claims based on failure to promote and termination.
