LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—Former University of Arkansas spokesman John Diamond has filed a complaint to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, claiming that his firing violated his civil rights and asking that he be reinstated.
Diamond, who was fired Aug. 23, said his religion might have been a factor in his termination, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported Saturday.
Diamond, who is Catholic, filed the complaint Nov. 14.
After Diamond was terminated, he sent a letter Aug. 26 to Advancement Division Vice Chancellor Chris Wyrick, expressing some of his complaints directly to his former boss.
“On the day of our first one-on-one meeting following your official start as vice chancellor, you exited your personal office with two other university employees and, when seeing me, pointed out to those present that I am Catholic and that ‘y’all travel in packs,'” Diamond wrote.
In subsequent interviews, Wyrick said he didn’t mean the Catholic remark to be offensive. He said he remembers asking “Is there a fish fry this weekend?” but he denies saying that members of Diamond’s faith “traveled in packs.”
“Ideally, the outcome of the EEOC filing will be my reinstatement as associate vice chancellor for university relations,” Diamond said in an email to the newspaper.
