Students Fear Upcoming Supreme Court Decision on LGBTQ
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4 CULTURE 9 OPINION For Dorm Fish Parents, Emotional Con- Why Doesn’t NYU Release a Full nections Are Worth the Time Investment Financial Report? 6 ARTS 11 WALLKILL Rolling Loud Festival Pulls up to Jumping the Broom: Finding Love NYC for the First Time in Prison VOLUME LIII | ISSUE 8 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019 Students Fear Upcoming Supreme Court Decision on LGBTQ Workplace Discrimination With a majority- conservative Supreme Court, students are not confident that LGBTQ workers will remain protected from discrimination. By LISA COCHRAN Deputy News Editor After the U.S. Supreme Court heard ar- guments for three labor discrimination cas- es on the grounds of transgender identity and sexuality last week, members of NYU’s LGBTQ community expressed dread and hopelessness about the outcomes. The court cases involve a transgender woman who was fired because her employ- er disapproved of her gender identity and two gay men who were fired when their sexual orientation was discovered. The plantiffs assert that their employers have violated Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits employers from dis- criminating on the basis of sex, gender, ethnicity and religion. The court will only reach a decision sometime within the up- coming year, but its conservative makeup MARVA SHI | WSN has left students feeling that the plaintiffs The New York County Supreme Court in downtown Manhattan. The U.S. Supreme Court is currently in debate over employers can fire LGBTQ individuals because of their sexual will not prevail. or gender identity. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Student Government, NYU Agree to Expunge Academic Probation Records By ALEXANDRIA JOHNSON transcript, seen by prospective employers, Deputy News Editor for each student. In the past, when a student faced academic probation it was noted on both Student government reached an agreement transcripts. Moving forward, it will only be with the university to change the current Aca- mentioned on the internal transcript — and demic Probation Policy last Friday, after a year of past students who have been on probation working with faculty in the University Senate. will have mention of it expunged from their The university has an internal transcript, external records. MARVA SHI | WSN seen by those within NYU, and an external NYU recently reached an agreement with student government to expunge academic probation records from external CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 transcripts. 2 Washington Square News TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2019 [email protected] NEWS Edited by VICTOR PORCELLI Students Fear Upcoming Supreme Court Decision on LGBTQ Workplace Discrimination CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 prohibit LGBTQ workplace discrimina- ing to Harrington. LS sophomore Declan Urffer said he they did not feel supported by NYU, men- To express anger over what he expects tion; New York is one of the 23 that does. After the appointment of Brett Kava- would be surprised if anything positive tioning instances of deadnaming and mis- to be a major loss in rights for the LGBTQ Professor of Politics Christine Har- naugh by President Donald Trump, the came out of the cases. gendering in class, as well as the decision community, Silver sophomore and NYU rington said some states include sexual Supreme Court is now at a 5 to 4 conser- “Given the current makeup of the court, to keep Chick-fil-A –– which donates to Queer Union Secretary Nick Rogers orientation as a trait employers cannot vative majority. I’d say things are not looking good,” Urffer anti-LGBTQ organizations –– in Wein- traveled to The Supreme Court on Oct. discriminate against — underneath the “For gay marriage, it was Kennedy said. “[With] the recent appointments that stein Food Court. 8 and participated in a mass civil disobe- umbrella term of sex — while others sole- who swung and made it so that the liber- the Trump administration has made, I “It feels often, especially from the people dience protest. ly protect against discrimination based on als had a majority,” Rogers said. “But he’s don’t see anything really happening.” higher up, like a lip service for progressive Rogers was one of hundreds bussed to gender. The U.S. Equal Opportunity Em- gone, and he got replaced by Kavanaugh CAS sophomore Rachel Bell said ideas,” Rogers said. “But when it comes to Washington by the organization Housing ployment Commission defines sex discrim- who’s hard-right, and it just shifted the en- if this case were happening two years actually caring, they really don’t.” Works –– a non-profit based in New York ination as including transgender status and tire court right.” ago, she would have been more hopeful Students said they have found commu- City that donates to charities that fight sexual orientation, saying discriminating Rogers’ fears may be warranted, accord- for the results. nity in clubs instead. AIDS and homelessness. In Washington based on either of these violates Title VII. ing to Harrington, who said the implica- “This court cares way more about ap- Queer Union Vice President and CAS around 130 people from activist organiza- “The congressmen writing the [Civil tions of the decision will be complex and peasing Trump than they do about fol- sophomore Lexie Kolberg said the court tions nationwide conducted a sit-in on the Rights Act of 1964] did not imagine there potentially detrimental. If the Supreme lowing the constitution,” Bell said. “As cases were discussed in great length during street in front of the Supreme Courthouse, would be such a thing as sexual orienta- Court decides LGBTQ workplace discrim- much as I want to protest and fight, I the most recent club meetings. blocking the entry. The protestors, includ- tion,” Harrington said. “The issue that ination is not a violation of Title VII, it feel so dejected.” “Queer Union has been trying to plug ing Rogers, were all arrested. many people think was settled a while ago is could overrule New York’s current policy. Rogers said he feels confident that if the resources for our members to educate “Being arrested as a trans person is the assumption that sexual orientation is a “The question itself needs to be opened Supreme Court were objective, it would themselves on what’s being tried at the very stressful,” Rogers said. “Getting subcategory of the word sex in the statute.” up; it’s not just a yes or no — will things be rule in favor of the plaintiffs — but he Supreme Court,” Kolberg said. “We like deadnamed and worrying about how Following the retirement of former bad or will things be good — it’s really very doesn’t think that’s the case. to talk about it with ourselves. Sometimes, they’re going to treat me when they see Justice Anthony Kennedy in 2018 –– complicated, and importantly so,” Har- “The law and the facts are on our side,” just having a sounding board who under- that the name on my ID is very different who played a pivotal role in previous rington said. “Sexual orientation is part of Rogers said. “But they’re gonna go out of stands is really helpful.” from the masculine-presenting person in LGBTQ-related Supreme Court decisions [New York’s] equal employment opportu- their way to be discriminatory.” front of them.” –– the decision revolves around current nity law, so it would have an effect [...] and With many worried about the outcome, Email Lisa Cochran Twenty-seven states do not explicitly Chief Justice John Roberts, accord- that would be negative. student morale is low. Some students said at [email protected]. Student Government, NYU Agree to Expunge Academic Probation Records CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Removing mention of academic man said, while records of past inci- regard, it is worth noting that poor er said. “No student wants to be put Students are placed on academ- probation from external records will, dents are important, they often affect academic performance that results in this situation. They should not be ic probation when they fall below a hopefully, allow students to apply to students’ mental health and, conse- in probation is often accompanied penalized for life.” 2.0 GPA — regardless of any fami- graduate schools and other positions quently, their academic performance. by, if not attributable to, significant If students previously faced or are ly or health issues. This status can without being penalized for past is- “There are many ways that schools wellness concerns.” currently facing academic probation, affect their financial aid packages sues, according to CAS senior and can track students who are on proba- In an interview with WSN, Turner they can reach out to Academic Af- in addition to their ability to study Chair of the SGA Academic Affairs tion; notations on the official tran- said he had a friend that was on aca- fairs on the Student Government site abroad. If the student is unable to Committee Quentin Turner. Turn- script are not only unnecessary for demic probation who saw the negative for more information. raise their GPA above a 2.0 for two er led discussions with the universi- this purpose, but they can lead to effects Beckman mentioned, partially or more semesters, they can be dis- ty on the policy. increased student anxiety,” Beckman leading him to push for the policy. Email Alexandria Johnson missed from NYU. University spokesperson John Beck- said in a statement to WSN. “In this “It’s about second chances,” Turn- at [email protected]. NYU Launches Center for Social Media and Politics After Rise of Fake News, Russian Trolls By AKIVA THALHEIM of Politics Jonathan Nagler said that the cen- Foundation and a $5 million matching see are changed frequently, making it hard- Social Media Editor ter’s goal is to inform the general public, and grant from the Charles Koch Foundation, er to determine what trends will continue.