patrick.net

December 3, 2025, 2:05 pm ET

An a cappella group at Kent State University in Ohio allegedly banned white students from auditioning for certain solos and disciplined a longtime member for questioning the race-based policy.

Emails obtained by Campus Reform display how Vocal Intensity A Cappella limited certain solos to “people of color,” claiming white students would be engaging in “cultural appropriation” if they were to perform them.

Mark Phillips, a three-year member and the a cappella group’s beatboxer, contacted a board member to inquire about how the exclusion of white students aligned with Kent State’s anti-discrimination policies. Phillips suggested the limitation seemed “at odds with equal opportunity” in his message to the executive board.

“I fully respect concerns about authenticity, but I also believe that whoever gives the strongest performance should be given the chance,” he wrote. “Art, music, and culture are meant to be shared and celebrated, not gatekept.”

In response, the board accused him of violating the university’s anti-discrimination policy, placed him on probation, and scheduled a disciplinary hearing requiring him to “plead his case” before the entire group.

The board later reaffirmed its position, confirming that the solos would remain restricted to black students unless overturned by a vote.

According to the group’s constitution, discrimination is prohibited on the basis of race, and Kent State University’s policy also bans racial discrimination and specifically retaliation against students who challenge it.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed the Advance Ohio Higher Education Act earlier this year, restricting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) practices across public universities. The anti-DEI bill explicitly prohibits race-based advantages, and to “provide [students] equality of opportunity, with regard to those individuals’ race,” as stated in Senate Bill 1.

While university guidelines prohibit discrimination, the board prepared a process that included a closed board hearing, potential permanent removal, and even a potential several months-long suspension.

Phillips ultimately resigned, calling the process a “performative ambush designed as a hearing.”

In his resignation letter, Phillips wrote: “I argued for equal treatment. The eagerness to twist my words shows a lack of honesty and critical thought. Denying opportunities based on skin color is discrimination by definition.”

He says he was punished, not for misconduct, but for opposing the discriminatory behavior.

“My only crime was advocating for equality for everyone, regardless of skin color. I raised a valid concern, discussed the definition of discrimination and held a mirror up to what they were doing. In their eyes, anti-white discrimination is okay, but challenging that precedent isn’t,” Phillips told Campus Reform.

“What I really want is for people to bring common sense back and stop pretending that people of color are oppressed in this country. I want people to realize that we are meant to celebrate what we have in common instead of dividing and fighting over our differences,” Phillips said.

I have a brother who actually said he doesn’t care if whites die out. Fuck him. I will not ever have anything to do with him or anyone else who says that.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced that its Civil Rights Division has filed a federal lawsuit against Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) for racially discriminating against teachers employed in the system.

The DOJ is alleging that the district’s collective bargaining agreement unlawfully gives preferential treatment to teachers based on race, color, national origin, or sex.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.

It challenges provisions negotiated between MPS and the teachers’ union, arguing that the district uses categories such as “underrepresented population” to grant certain employees protections during layoffs, involuntary reassignments, and reinstatement decisions that are not available to others.

According to the DOJ’s complaint, this system effectively grants special protections to teachers who fall within designated demographic groups, while disadvantaging those who do not. ...

MPS has openly set racial hiring targets as part of its DEI initiatives, seeking to raise the proportion of staff who identify as “Black, Indigenous, and People of Color” (BIPOC) to at least 40 percent by 2026.

The district is requiring at least 54.3 percent of new teacher hires in 2026–2027 to identify as BIPOC. ...

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon added that federal law is unequivocal.

“Employers may not provide more favorable terms and conditions of employment based on an employee’s race and sex,” she said.

“The Department of Justice will vigorously pursue employers who deny their employees equal opportunities and benefits by classifying and limiting them based on their race, color, national origin, or sex.”