A respected UH law instructor claims retaliation after filing a discrimination complaint regarding pay inequity. Additionally, he points to an incident during Black History Month when he was directed to teach remotely due to a controversy involving a lack of African American representation in event planning. Following his expression of frustration during a faculty meeting, he faced allegations of “disrespectful” behavior, leading to an investigation and his banishment from campus for online-only teaching for the past seven months.
The instructor, also the co-director of the Hawaii Innocence Project, requires access to campus for confidential legal files. Despite requesting after-hours access with security escorts, his plea was denied. A retired UH law professor expressed disappointment over the situation, highlighting the instructor’s significant impact on students through his courses and personal story.
The UH administration disputes the claims, citing misstatements and inaccuracies. They assert that the online-only classes are a result of a pending internal investigation to preserve its integrity. The instructor is seeking a restraining order and an impartial party to oversee the case, arguing that the same administration is handling his complaints. A hearing date for the restraining order motion has not been set.