Oberlin loses Gibson lawsuit appeal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As anyone knows, when you have a matter in litigation, you remain quiet and let the situation play out on the courts. So, I'm sure the school followed their attorney's advice. Meanwhile, for the 13th consecutive year, the school's a top producer of Fulbright Scholars so they're doing well academically. I know two current students who seem to be enjoying their experience.

https://www.oberlin.edu/news/oberlin-named-top-fulbright-producer-2021-2022

Oberlin produced 4 Nobel prize winners. Their first was Robert Millikan who turned Caltech to what it is today. Their 4th was just last year in 2021. Oberlin still produces winners. It's in a league with Amherst and Swarthmore in terms of outcomes.

https://www.oberlin.edu/news/nobel-prize-economics-awarded-joshua-angrist

Yeah, and they just lost a $50 million dollar lawsuit for defaming a small business that was completely blameless -- great school.

Yeah - so great.

[Anonymous]

This all occurred in the immediate aftermath of Trump’s election. Everyone was already angry. If you want to know what the campus environment is like today, look up the campus reaction to the George Floyd killing, which was much more moderate and constructive than many LACs.

And before you cheer on the Gibsons too much, check out the Facebook messages from the son who did the tackling. They were allowed on appeal. Shockingly, he was super racist on FB.

Oberlin’s new President has worked hard on town and gown issues, with some success. I think COVID gave Oberlin College the Town of Oberlin a chance to work together. And business owners a reality check that the couldn’t survive without the students. Still a lot of racist rednecks in the area though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a friend on staff. The current president is highly respected, the students are engaged and have excellent opportunities. As previous posters noted, the endowment is strong. The school's also a top Fulbright producer so is doing just fine. Current and future students won't care or be impacted by an incident that happened more than 5 years ago and involved administrators and students who are no longer on campus.

The new Administration kept the administrator (Raimondo), who committed most of the actions in question in the lawsuit, and the school paper described her as a “much beloved and highly respected” professor when she left of her own accord. They have never conceded that Oberlin or Raimondo did anything wrong, they have continued to torture the Gibson family with appeals, and they are just as bad as the previous bunch. They are the ones who have drug this out for six years and have ensured that it remains an issue. If they had simply admitted that they screwed up six years ago, this would all be behind them. Of course the school is still being impacted by this.

Oberlin had a legal right to appeal. No one forced the Gibson family to file suit or “tortured” them with an appeal. That is inherent in the decision to file litigation.

You don’t sound very educated on these matters.

Think again. I’m a lawyer. And I resent it when institutions use their deep pockets to push little guys around. Oberlin has been a bully, from start to finish. A jury, and now an appellate court, agree with me. It’s their right to drag out this litigation, but it doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do or that we can’t think less of them for it. They’re supposed to be teaching honor and ethics to their students, and instead they’re teaching them how to use the legal system to avoid responsibility for your actions.

[Anonymous]

That’s just nonsense. Glad Oberlin was held to account but pp comes off as a sanctimonious oaf. And one who does not litigate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That’s just nonsense. Glad Oberlin was held to account but pp comes off as a sanctimonious oaf. And one who does not litigate.

Guess again. Litigators, more than anyone else I know, hate it when people abuse the process. The oaf is the lawyer who told Oberlin that the First Amendment is a defense to a claim of slander. Of course, that’s what Oberlin wanted to hear. Oberlin is the perfect example of a “cry bully.” They are the bully and they are trying to portray themselves as the victim. Who is sanctimonious here? The Gibson’s would have settled for an apology before they had to file suit, and any lawyer worth their salt would have told Oberlin to apologize and be done with it. But Oberlin was (and continues to be) determined to use their greater resources to litigate until the Gibson family runs out of money and gives up. They’ve already managed to drag it out until after the deaths of two of the plaintiffs. It’s all perfectly legal, but this case is a perfect example of why people hate lawyers, and it demonstrates that the Oberlin leadership has learned nothing.

[Anonymous]

Or Oberlin is rational. Again, PP is silly. Oberlin is wrong but it is not going to pay until it has to. Like everyone else.

[Anonymous]

At this point, it is Oberlin College deciding to litigate or not. It’s their insurance company.

Lot of “lawyers” seem to be missing this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s just nonsense. Glad Oberlin was held to account but pp comes off as a sanctimonious oaf. And one who does not litigate.

Guess again. Litigators, more than anyone else I know, hate it when people abuse the process. The oaf is the lawyer who told Oberlin that the First Amendment is a defense to a claim of slander. Of course, that’s what Oberlin wanted to hear. Oberlin is the perfect example of a “cry bully.” They are the bully and they are trying to portray themselves as the victim. Who is sanctimonious here? The Gibson’s would have settled for an apology before they had to file suit, and any lawyer worth their salt would have told Oberlin to apologize and be done with it. But Oberlin was (and continues to be) determined to use their greater resources to litigate until the Gibson family runs out of money and gives up. They’ve already managed to drag it out until after the deaths of two of the plaintiffs. It’s all perfectly legal, but this case is a perfect example of why people hate lawyers, and it demonstrates that the Oberlin leadership has learned nothing.

+1 I will add that level-headed Oberlin alumni are not happy with their school. (Speaking as one who has been on all the alumni conference calls about this.)

[Anonymous]

All the town & bakery has to do is set up a "spite college" that can attract & support their businesses in a productive manner, students & faculty who will respect the town.

The "spite" industry is an American tradition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Or Oberlin is rational. Again, PP is silly. Oberlin is wrong but it is not going to pay until it has to. Like everyone else.

After front page stories across the land over something they should have put behind them six years ago, that is still highly likely to result in a $30m verdict, you think Oberlin is being rational? The money isn’t the biggest thing at stake here — it’s Oberlin’s reputation. This is going to cost them much more than the court ordered damages. Oberlin used to be known as a good small college with an excellent music conservatory. Now this is the first thing that pops up when you do an internet search for Oberlin. It’s going to take along time before the cloud goes away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think Oberlin will suffer financially from this fine.They have a HUGE endowment. The biggest impact will be that it will alter the rain of the types of kids who apply, at least for a few years. The college really mishandled this and let the few, loudest voices control the narrative. That would give me pause about letting my child , who is not especially woke, apply there. But for the right super progressive kid it could be a perfect fit. I think people who would apply to Kenyon, Denison and Oberlin ini the past, may leave Oberlin out.

Because of something that happened 6 years ago under a whole different Admin. This is just DCUM’s local Oberlin hater.

I’m that poster, I’m a new poster and I’ve never posted about oberlin before, nor do I have a child looking at oberlin. Sorry but your conspiracy theory falls flat here. I read the article today and weighed in… an opinion piece circulating today in the wsj and probably other pubs will bring it to light for new people who hadn’t been aware of this six years ago. I had no idea it was that long ago.

+1
I think the PP simply doesn’t want to acknowledge how many bigots find Oberlin’s actions absolutely atrocious. Here’s that excellent WSJ piece, for those who would like more background:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/oberlin-college-loses-appeal-ohio-gibsons-bakery-v-woke-pc-cancel-culture-crt-critical-race-theory-libel-emotional-distress-racial-profiling-higher-education-11648829090

FTFY

So you're saying people should be allowed to shoplift if they're black? That somehow makes them exempt from the law? Sorry, no. Oberlin administration defending these shoplifters should be ashamed. Glad they have to pay up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a friend on staff. The current president is highly respected, the students are engaged and have excellent opportunities. As previous posters noted, the endowment is strong. The school's also a top Fulbright producer so is doing just fine. Current and future students won't care or be impacted by an incident that happened more than 5 years ago and involved administrators and students who are no longer on campus.

The new Administration kept the administrator (Raimondo), who committed most of the actions in question in the lawsuit, and the school paper described her as a “much beloved and highly respected” professor when she left of her own accord. They have never conceded that Oberlin or Raimondo did anything wrong, they have continued to torture the Gibson family with appeals, and they are just as bad as the previous bunch. They are the ones who have drug this out for six years and have ensured that it remains an issue. If they had simply admitted that they screwed up six years ago, this would all be behind them. Of course the school is still being impacted by this.

Exactly. Those pretending otherwise are obviously alumni or have kids there. Oberlin has a huge stain on its reputation from this. They looked ridiculous then and they continue to today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At this point, it is Oberlin College deciding to litigate or not. It’s their insurance company.

Lot of “lawyers” seem to be missing this.

+1. A certain litigator on this thread seems to not understand how the world works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:oberlin should be ashamed. I would NEVER recommend this "school" to anyone. Many administrators using the "f" word in communications ?? This is higher education - find a better vocabulary.

DCUM is like a Catholic church. You are free to use any word you want in a college forum. You are not in Russia. But do you really have to repeat that word in a Catholic church? Have you no honor?

Huh? WTF?

There are schools with real problems - sexual assaults, rapes - who are paying out in the neighborhood of 1 B I L L I O N dollars to their victims. And Oberlin's problem is they use adult words in the adult world. I'd rather have Oberlin's problems.

DP. Umm, no - that is not Oberlin's problem. Oberlin's problem is that they refused to admit their students shoplifted - because they were black. Apparently, it is "racist" to accuse black people of stealing... even when they're stealing.

Not only that, but Oberlin then proceeded to smear Gibson's bakery in every way they could. Oberlin is now getting what it so richly deserves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Yeah, and they just lost a $50 million dollar lawsuit for defaming a small business that was completely blameless -- great school.

I guess the facts about academic success don't matter to you. This seems to be a silly attack on the school, especially as PPs noted the insurance company will likely cover this costs and Oberlin's endowment is still quite strong.

DP. "A silly attack on the school"?? Did you consider that this school went out of its way to try and ruin a family business? Looks like Oberlin got a little too woke for its own good. I'm not interested in how many Nobels a school produces if that school can't even manage to be a decent neighbor to local businesses.