CHC Appeal of Bias Finding Would Remove It from State Oversight

Last fall, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (HRC) found “probable cause” to indicate that Chestnut Hill College discriminated against a black student by expelling him. Now the college is appealing to Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court, claiming that the HRC cannot regulate discipline at a Catholic college as it would violate the First Amendment and previous court rulings.  The hearing of the appeal case was July 7, but the judge’s verdict on whether the court will hear the case is not expected for another few weeks.  If the appeal were to succeed, it would remove students at private, religious colleges in Pennsylvania from the protection of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (HRA) and the intervention of the HRC when it comes to disciplinary action.