There is an interesting lawsuit in Ohio against Oberlin College by a small family-owned bakery over a racially charged case of shoplifting. Gibson’s Bakery alleges that school officials encouraged a boycott over false accusations of racism after three Oberlin students were arrested at the business. What is curious is that the students pleaded guilty to the charges and the Oberlin police found no evidence of racism, but the bakery is still be accused of racial profiling and running a “racist establishment.”
We have previously discussed Oberlin’s controversies over cultural appropriation and speech codes, including an effort to ban “sushi” as a cultural appropriation.
The latest controversy began in November 2016 when three black Oberlin students — Jonathan Aladin, Endia Lawrence and Cecelia Whettstone — were caught stealing wine. In August, the students admitted their guilty and also agreed that the store had not engaged in racist conduct in their arrest. Moreover, the students reportedly punched and kicked the shopkeeper. They initially claimed to have been racially profiled and that they only crime was using fake ids. However, Allyn Gibson said that he was attacked immediately after catching them with the stolen bottles of wine. The students ultimately dropped the claims and admitted that their guilt.
The police Incident Report online, adds disturbing details:
On Wednesday, November 9, 2016, at approximately 4:58pm, officers responded to the area of Gibson’s Bakery in reference to a report of a fight in progress. As officers were responding to the area, dispatch advised that this was involving an alleged theft complaint. Dispatch advised that Allyn Gibson, who is an employee of Gibson’s Bakery, was attempting to apprehend a subject who Allyn had witnessed attempt to steal several items. As officers approached the area, Sgt. Ortiz, and Officer Feuerstein both stated they observed Allyn Gibson lying on his back with several individuals kneeling over him punching and kicking him with several other individuals in the immediate area. Officers attempted to gain control of the situation and were met several times with resistance from several different individuals. After a few minutes officers were finally able to take one female into custody and calm the incident and attempt to figure out what had taken place.
Moreover, the Oberlin police conducted an investigation into arrests at Gibson’s and found “a complete lack of evidence of racism.” The police looked at arrested over a five-year period, and found 40 adults arrested for shoplifting but only six were African-American.
None of that seems to matter.
A boycott has been maintained against Gibson’s, which was the victim of a crime by Oberlin students. There is a great deal in the complaint below that is deeply troubling in terms of the conduct of Oberlin faculty and students.
A lawsuit was filed in November against Oberlin and Meredith Raimondo, vice president and dean of students, for slander. The complaint details how school faculty encouraged demonstrations and supported the protests with suspended classes and resources. Raimondo allegedly appeared at the demonstrations with a bullhorn and distributed a flyer that said the bakery is a “RACIST establishment with a LONG ACCOUNT of RACIAL PROFILING and DISCRIMINATION.” The complaint also alleges that the school has warned visitors that Gibson’s is a racist establishment.
Notably, the complaint discusses the prior controversy over the firing of Joy Karega, an assistant professor of rhetoric and composition, after she posted anti-Semitic statements. We discussed that controversy. The complaint suggests that Raimondo was brought in to reinforce the school’s relationship to black students after the firing of Karego, who is African American.
There is also an interesting discussion of how the school canceled its long-standing order with the bakery and, when the owner met with then-President Marvin Krislov and Tita Reed, assistant to the president of Oberlin College. He alleges that the officials pressured him to drop any criminal charges against the students.
The complaint alleges libel, slander, interference with business relationships, interference with contracts, deceptive trade practices, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent hiring and trespass and asks for more than $200,000 in damages.
Here is the complaint: Gibson’s Bakery v. Oberlin College
I would never shop in a racist bakery. Nor would I patronize a homophobic 99 cent store.
Is Oberlin a safe school?
Not for bakeries, it seems.
You like potato and I like potahto
You like tomato and I like tomahto
You like Leftists and I like Liars.
Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto, Leftist, Liar
Let’s call the whole thing off!
Where’s Ella when you need her?
And again I ask who’s waste of money is paying for these “students” education ?
Where the frig is: Oberlin College?
Is it over Berlin?
But it is racisssst if you cause blacks to be arrested because white people laws don’t apply to black people. Because mass incarceration.
Right?
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
How can I contribute to this bakery’s legal defense?! Maybe some entrepreneurial trial attorney could figure out how to certify a class action against st these absurd leftist institutions. It’s like fraud on the marketplace of ideas.
Oberlin was at one time ranked very high in the top 10 of liberal arts colleges. Now it settles in barely within the top 50. There are many reasons for its decline and some of those reasons can be extrapolated from this situation.
In my day you would be packing your bags for home the next day. I wish them (the bakery) luck on the suit. Oberlin has not acted honorably in this matter. And the faculty, staff, and students owe an apology to the bakery.
Apology??. How about jail time and lots of it. . . . .
The university will not prevail in this lawsuit.
But they will fight it to the bitter end.
But the narrative has been written.
Facts are considered a nuisance.
This is very sad. Oberlin used to be a top school.
Yes, this is sad. Oberlin was one of the first colleges to admit male students of any race, and later to admit female students.
It is disturbing to see that many “academics” believe people are not accountable for their actions based on their race. This is insulting. People are all human beings. When human beings commit acts of violence against others, unless they have some mental disability or are of an age too young to understand what they have done, they are responsible for their actions. Pretending otherwise has been a disaster. It increases the violence we live in and it should not be tolerated.
I watched Detroit lose almost everything under a black administration. John Pilger has a documentary about the betrayal of most S. Africans of all colors by the ANC. People of all races need to be accountable for their actions , as do people of all classes. Right now, the Oberlin “community” is acting like those who believe the wealthy bankers and politicians who run things should not be held to account because they are wealthy and above the law. We all know where that idea has led this nation.
The shoplifting was wrong and beating someone up is terrible. That’s it. Beatings are a call for jail time. Being black doesn’t mean someone is good nor does it mean someone is violent. It means someone is black. If a black person commits harm then they are accountable. If a white person commits harm, they are accountable. To act otherwise is to contribute to the already overwhelming amount of violence in this nation (and caused by it).
Whose the most racist organizations in the country after DNC and Media. The Universities. You must mentioned that on the book burning deal.
Certainly not true here in Pullman, Washington.
This post is word salad.