WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - A federal judge has denied a request by officials at historically black Delaware State University to dismiss a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by a former white employee.
The judge's ruling Tuesday affirmed a recommendation made last month by a federal magistrate, who found that Jeffrey DeMoss has pleaded sufficient facts to show that race was a motivating factor in his termination.
DeMoss has alleged, among other things, that he overheard former university President Harry Williams call him a "white fat (expletive)" in a phone call. DeMoss also says a school official told him that his termination was motivated by race and the university wanted a black person in his position.
DeMoss was executive director for dining and auxiliary services and operations director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Center.