Florida International University: Racial and Ethnic Restrictions for Class Enrollment

Category: Free Speech, Freedom of Conscience
Schools: Florida International University

Florida International University (FIU), maintained ethnicity and race requirements for certain language classes. For example, certain Spanish courses limited enrollment to “Hispanic bilinguals educated in the U.S….whose mother tongue is Spanish,” “U.S. Hispanic bilinguals,” and “U.S. Hispanic Bilinguals Only.”; When informed of this policy FIRE explained its immorality and unconstitutionality to the administration. Following FIRE’s lengthy and quiet involvement, the policy was revised.

There is currently no media coverage for this case.

  • Florida International University Upholds Legal Equality: Abandons Racial and Ethnic Requirements for Language Courses

    February 6, 2002

    MIAMI, FL—Florida International University (FIU), responding to FIRE, has issued a strong and unqualified defense of legal equality. Addressing the concerns raised by FIRE President Alan Charles Kors, who challenged a racial and ethnic requirement for several language courses, FIU General Counsel Thomas Mead Santoro made changes to the requirements for the courses to ensure that FIU complies with its ethical obligations, not to mention its obligations to federal and state statutes and regulations, and to the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. In September 2001, a student contacted FIRE with concerns […]

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