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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

‘Dykes, Just Like You’

SAN BERNARDINO (CN) - A Corinthian College criminal justice professor told a student, "Many women in the field look like dykes, just like you, Anna," the student says in a discrimination complaint.

Anna Eakins sued Corinthian Colleges dba Everest College, Everest President Richard Mallow and her professor, Denise Grecco, in Superior Court.

Eakins says she was president of the Criminal Justice Students Club at Corinthian Colleges' Everest campus in Ontario, Calif., when Grecco, chairwoman of the criminal justice program, made the offensive remark.

"In or about November 2011, plaintiff was enrolled in a class entitled, 'Women in Criminal Justice,' which was taught by Professor Grecco, the Chair of the Criminal Justice Program," the complaint states. "During one class in October or November 2011, Grecco was lecturing that women in criminal justice had to be thick skinned due to discrimination. Grecco then said that 'many women in the field look like dykes, just like you, Anna,' as she was talking directly at plaintiff."

Eakins says she complained to President Mallow, who told her to contact Human Resources. She claims that neither the HR department nor Mallow ever investigated or disciplined Grecco.

Though the professor "openly referred to another female student as a 'dyke'" in front of other students, and allegedly did the same to two other students at the school, Eakin says, the college never made an effort to stop the harassment.

"Also, in or about early 2011, when plaintiff was nominated by her professors as a 'distinguished graduate,' which had to approved by defendant Mallow, plaintiff learned that she would not be approved as a distinguished graduate because of her sexual orientation. Plaintiff was told that Mallow 'would never let someone like Anna represent the college,' referring to her sexual orientation," the complaint states. "Plaintiff understood Mallow's statement to mean that he would not allow choose plaintiff as a distinguished graduate because of plaintiff's sexual orientation. It was known at Everest that Mallow disapproved of the homosexual lifestyle."

Eakin seeks punitive damages for violations of the California Education Code, sexual discrimination, harassment, and negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

She is represented by Gary Carlin with Carlin & Buchsbaum of Long Beach.

Corinthian Colleges did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Corinthian, a profit-seeking chain college, has been sued more than 200 times on a variety of charges, including class actions, according to the Courthouse News database.

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