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Lawsuit against Columbia dismissed

By Erin Buzuvis, Sudha Setty, and Kristine Newhall

Citing violations of Title IX and the First Amendment, lawyer Roy Den Hollander sued Columbia University for offering a women's studies program, but not a men's studies program. But his lawsuit was dismissed earlier this week.

I am not the legal expert among us here, but I am in women's studies so this case interested me.

The claims were dismissed because of lack of standing (Hollander never actually took or tried to take a women's studies course at Columbia--he was just suing on behalf of damaged men everywhere) and because the judge found that the First Amendment claims were bogus. Hollander's approach was to argue that feminism is akin to religion, hence the discrimination. Feminism was being foisted on students.

The Title IX claim was that courses were being offered about one gender but not the other. It's not courses about--it's access to said courses or any other activity sponsored by an educational institution. Besides, I have never heard of, witnessed, or participated in a women's studies course that only talked about women. It's pretty much impossible to do.

Hollander will likely continue on his mission to bring justice for men to all areas of society, including the justice system itself which he believes kowtows to "the feminists."

I am just glad I never had him in one of my classes!

Full post as published by Title IX Blog on April 30, 2009 (boomark / email).