Loreal Hawk, graduate of the University of the District of Columbia (“UDC”) David A. Clarke School of Law, has filed a lawsuit against UDC. In the complaint, filed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Mx. Hawk alleges that UDC failed to provide reasonable accommodations for their disabilities and then retaliated when Mx. Hawk complained of discrimination, in violation of the District of Columbia Human Rights Act.
Mx. Hawk, a Black, nonbinary, first-generation law student, enrolled at UDC’s David A. Clarke School of Law in the fall of 2020. Mx. Hawk chose to attend UDC because of its status as an historically Black university and its focus on public interest law. UDC awarded Mx. Hawk a renewable merit scholarship, and Mx. Hawk was on track to graduate in the spring of 2023.
At the start of the spring 2023 semester, Mx. Hawk experienced a resurgence of a debilitatingly painful medical condition that rendered them unable to walk or even sit up at times. Following advice from their medical providers, Mx. Hawk requested — and UDC initially granted — reasonable accommodations that enabled them to watch class recordings from home, rather than physically attending class in person, until their condition was under control.
However, in March 2023, with less than one month remaining in Mx. Hawk’s last semester of law school, UDC declared the accommodations categorically unreasonable and abruptly rescinded them. Mx. Hawk repeatedly complained that the school’s conduct, in rescinding their accommodations, constituted disability discrimination and pleaded to the school’s board, deans, and other administrators that the school honor the accommodations. UDC refused to do so and then withdrew Mx. Hawk from classes for the semester. As a result, Mx. Hawk was unable to graduate that May or take the bar exam in July. UDC’s actions delayed for several months Mx. Hawk’s ability to start their career as an Equal Justice Works Fellow, putting their entire legal career in jeopardy.
“The discrimination I experienced at UDC Law derailed my life and threatened my emerging career as a public interest lawyer,” said Mx. Hawk. “I was forced to be my own advocate throughout my time at UDC, and it was disheartening to see the number of ways in which the school dropped the ball. No student should have to face discrimination at school — particularly one dedicated to serving students and communities facing discrimination.”
“Mx. Hawk was entitled to an accessible and equitable education,” said Andrew Adelman, partner at Correia & Puth. “UDC failed Mx. Hawk: first by failing to provide reasonable accommodations, and then by refusing to let Mx. Hawk finish the semester and graduate on time after Mx. Hawk asserted their rights. We are proud to stand with Mx. Hawk and hold UDC to account.”
“District of Columbia law requires schools to provide reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities and prohibits schools from retaliating against students who assert their rights,” said Maggie Neely, associate at Correia & Puth. “Mx. Hawk shouldered the burden of tireless advocacy when UDC violated their rights and continues that pursuit of justice today.”
Read the complaint here.
