Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis: Student employee found guilty of 'racial harassment' for reading a book

Case Materials

• "Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Attacks Student Cleared of Racial Harassment," FIRE Press Release, July 8, 2008: Two months ago, in the face of withering public criticism, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) revoked its original finding that student-employee Keith John Sampson had committed racial harassment by reading a book at work that celebrated the defeat of the Ku Klux Klan in a 1924 street brawl. Now, IUPUI is claiming that Sampson was in fact punished for some other behavior, but the school refuses to reveal any details of this alleged conduct. FIRE is calling on IUPUI to either reveal and prove this alleged offense or stop publicly smearing its own student.
• "Victory at IUPUI: Student-Employee Found Guilty of Racial Harassment for Reading a Book Now Cleared of All Charges," FIRE Press Release, May 1, 2008: Administrators at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis have revoked their finding that a student-employee was guilty of racial harassment merely for publicly reading the book Notre Dame vs. the Klan: How the Fighting Irish Defeated the Ku Klux Klan. Following pressure from FIRE, IUPUI has declared that Keith John Sampson's record is clear and said it will reexamine its affirmative action procedures relating to internal complaints.
• "IUPUI Chancellor Charles R. Bantz's letter to FIRE, April 17, 2008," April 17, 2008
• "Episode 107: FIRE's Case at Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis," March 31, 2008
• "FIRE letter to IUPUI Chancellor Charles R. Bantz, March 28, 2008," March 28, 2008
• "IUPUI worker's five-month book dilemma appears at an end," March 19, 2008
• "IUPUI AAO Letter to Sampson, February 7, 2008," February 7, 2008
• "ACLU-IN's Letter to IUPUI Counsel, January 31, 2008," January 31, 2008
• "ACLU-IN's Letter to IUPUI Counsel, December 20, 2007," December 20, 2007
• "IUPUI AAO Letter to Sampson, November 25, 2007," November 25, 2007

Blog Entries

• "IUPUI Changes Tune on Student’s ‘Racial Harassment’ Charge," Erin Royce, July 8, 2008
• "‘The Wall Street Journal’ Covers Keith John Sampson’s Ordeal at IUPUI," William Creeley, July 7, 2008
• "Administrator in “Racial Harassment” Case at IUPUI Retires," Azhar Majeed, May 19, 2008
• "Keith John Sampson on His ‘Nightmare’ at IUPUI," Azhar Majeed, May 9, 2008
• "Judging a Book By Its Cover - Literally," Erin Royce, May 5, 2008
• "Victory at IUPUI: Student-Employee Finally Vindicated on Racial Harassment Charge," Azhar Majeed, May 1, 2008
• "Individual Rights Languishing in Indiana," Adam Kissel, April 16, 2008
• "“Muzzle Tov” to Brandeis and Valdosta State from Greg," Erin Royce, April 11, 2008
• "New ‘FIREside Chats’ Podcast Available," Erin Royce, March 31, 2008
• "FIRE Column on IUPUI Racial Harassment Finding in ‘Indy Star’," Emily Guidry, March 25, 2008: Today's Indianapolis Star features a column written by FIRE's Azhar Majeed, a Justice Robert H. Jackson Fellow, on Keith Sampson's case at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Sampson, a student-employee, was found guilty of racial harassment for reading the book Notre Dame vs. the Klan: How the Fighting Irish Defeated the Ku Klux Klan. Following a complaint from Sampson's coworkers, IUPUI's Affirmative Action Office (AAO) sent Sampson a letter of reprimand informing him that he had been found guilty of racial harassment, but failed to afford him a hearing or any opportunity to defend himself. The AAO eventually sent Sampson a second letter acknowledging that he is free to read the book during his work breaks, but failed to apologize or admit wrongdoing for its handling of the matter. FIRE has called on IUPUI to remove the harassment finding from Sampson's record and to hold the AAO accountable for its actions.
• "‘Indianapolis Star’ Covers Racial Harassment Case at IUPUI," Azhar Majeed, March 18, 2008
• "Commentators, Readers Weigh in on Racial Harassment Case at IUPUI," Azhar Majeed, March 7, 2008
• "A Follow-Up on Racial Harassment at IUPUI," Azhar Majeed, March 6, 2008
• "Read a Book, Harass a Co-Worker at IUPUI," Azhar Majeed, March 5, 2008

Media Coverage

• "American politics aren't 'post-racial'," Dorothy Rabinowitz, The Wall Street Journal, July 7, 2008
• "My ‘racial harassment’ nightmare," Keith John Sampson, New York Post, May 9, 2008
• "Judging a book by its cover - literally," Greg Lukianoff, The Huffington Post, May 2, 2008
• "It's safe to read again at Indiana University," Jacob Sullum, Reason Online, May 1, 2008
• "Book-reading IUPUI worker deserved better," Azhar Majeed, The Indianapolis Star, March 25, 2008