Chestnut Hill Appeals Anti-Discrimination Ruling
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Chestnut Hill College continues its effort to exempt itself from Pennsylvania's anti-discrimination laws.
The college has asked the State Supreme Court to hear its appeal of a ruling that it must answer to the Human Relations Commission on an accusation of racial bias.
The College's request involves a five-year-old incident, in which Chestnut Hill expelled Allen-Michael Meads, weeks before graduation, in a dispute over the proceeds from a student play.
READ: "Probable Cause" For A Discrimination Complaint Against Chestnut Hill College
Meads filed a complaint with the state Human Relations Commission, which found probable cause for a discrimination hearing, but Chestnut Hill refused and asked Commonwealth Court to find the school exempt from bias laws because it's Catholic. Commonwealth Court ruled against it.
That's the decision the school's appealing, saying the case "goes to the core of the institution's Catholic identity and ... relationship to the Church."
Meads is disappointed.
"Unfortunately, it's not surprising. It was expected," he said.
Chestnut Hill has the backing of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities.
The Human Relations Commission declined comment, but has said the case could rob thousands of Catholic college students of protections from discrimination.
