Student Sues NEIU on ADA Violations, Illegal Search, Racial and Harassment Discrimination Allegations
NEIU
January 22, 2019
Editors note: This article has been updated to reflect the most current information available. 2-26-2019
NEIU student alleges employees and campus police officers harassed and discriminated against him based on his race, physical and mental abilities based on a lawsuit filed in July of 2018.
On Sept. 9, 2018 the Independent received a tip from an anonymous email stating, “Big story the new pres. Does not want anyone to know about: Federal Civil Rights Case: 1:18-cv-04831, Jackson v. Northeastern Illinois University. Courtesy of your friends at North Park, you all might cost much less, but your claims of diversity are worthless.”
The litigation, Jackson v. Northeastern Illinois University, complaint states the NEIU student, Curtis K. Jackson Sr., suffers from a variety of disabilities: bipolar disorder; cluster migraine headaches; chronic allergic rhinitis and sinusitis; bilateral torn ligaments; osteoarthritis in his knees; a dislocated left shoulder; hypertension; sleep apnea and morbid obesity.
These disabilities, according to the complaint “substantially limit more than several major life activities of his, such as: working; caring for oneself (bathing and cooking); learning; reading; traveling; walking; standing; lifting; pushing; pulling; shopping; sleeping and exercising.”
In July 2017, Jackson fell in the Physical Education Building (PEB)’s main shower due to an uneven and wet floor and sustained injuries due to the fall that left his face swollen and unable to eat or communicate. These injuries resulted in a trip to Cook County Hospital’s emergency room, where the emergency room doctors, according to the complaint, diagnosed him with Bell’s Palsy.
Due to this, he requested accommodations from the PEB staff to use the PEB facilities in a safer way. These accommodations including receiving extra towels to walk on while in the shower, locker room, steam room and the use of the handicap accessible door at the main entrance. According to the complaint, after receiving the accommodations, he began experiencing harassment from the PEB staff, student workers and NEIU police officers.
The initial complaint named 15 different NEIU employees but has since been dropped to the following defendants: Northeastern Illinois University; Director of Campus Recreation, David W. Merrill; NEIU Police Officer, Pablo F. Castro; and NEIU Police Officer, Arturo Galindo Jr.
NEIU does not comment on any ongoing litigations. The Independent sent emails to the defendants on Oct. 29, 2018. Merrill said, “Thank you for reaching out. I do not have any comments at this time.”
Police officer Castro replied, “Not interested.”
Jackson replied to the Independent’s attempts to request him via email on Dec. 24, 2018, stating, “First, I would like to say that I appreciate your tenacity and willingness to reach out to me and offer a forum for me to talk about my experiences contained within my complaint. What I will say… is that my experiences and opportunities to learn and work towards my degree have been mostly been positive, particularly at NEIU’s Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies (CCICS). However, due to my experiences contained within the complaint in federal court, this is as much I as I should say at this time. I’m hopeful a mutual resolution can be met so that I can feel comfortable and safe enough to return to campus, because I only need two more courses in my major, a natural science and math courses required to graduate with honors. But, if this is not the case, I will have to continue focusing on my health and a surgery I have coming up, and pursuing justice in this case. Therefore, this all I can say at this time, but, thank you for the opportunity to be heard.”
The complaint filed with the courts claims the PEB employees routinely kept the handicap accessible door locked and denied Jackson his accommodations, causing him to suffer physically and emotionally. According to the complaint, on March 10, 2018, Galindo and Castro approached Jackson in the PEB shower area while Jackson was naked. According to Jackson’s complaint, Castro and Galindo illegally searched his locker, pulling out his medication and publicly humiliating him. The complaint alleges Castro pulled out medicine bottles from Jackson’s backpack that were prescribed by Dr. Nelda F. Akinbile, his psychiatrist, and yelled, “I got lithium over here!”
Immediately after this, the complaint alleges Galindo Jr. said, “That’s all we need on this campus is some crazy ‘brotha’ roaming our campus up here on the North Side.”
The complaint goes on to allege that this harassment continued for 20 more minutes with Castro and Galindo searching through his belongings and attempting to go through his cell phone, with Galindo Jr. allegedly stating, “Maybe you should get to know the rules around here and stop complaining about a d—m cripple door.”
According to the complaint, “On June 20 or 21, 2018… defendant Dave Merrill, Director of Campus Recreation, driving a silver-colored four-door sedan with black tire rims, wearing a blue shirt and white or tan pants, sped through ‘stop’ sign without stopping, and turned eastward through the crosswalk of the P.E.B. south parking lot entrance with only a few feet to spare, in front of the plaintiff… . Merrill responded sarcastically saying: ‘It’s a message to you, smart guy. Stop with screwing with staff people and crying to Kerr about the handicap door not being turned by the staff. You don’t run s—t around here, all this disability accommodation bulls—t needs to stop. Have a nice day.’”
Northeastern Illinois University, Galindo Jr., Castro and Merrill are all being represented by Husch Blackwell LLP. Jackson is being represented by Shaw Legal Services, Ltd.
In an email to the Independent on Jan. 7, Jackson said, “I’m hopeful that NEIU students, staff, instructors campus police, and administrator will see my experiences as an opportunity to listen, learn and teach about the true meaning of: compassion, empathy, real diversity, understanding the daily challenges students have with disabilities and the lawful, meaningful access to NEIU programs, services, and activities students lawfully preserve.”
Jackson is a senior at NEIU, majoring in inner city studies, minoring in social justice, has a 3.55 GPA and has 12 credit hours left to graduate with a bachelor’s degree.
The next status hearing for Jackson V. Northeastern Illinois University is set for Feb. 6 at 9 a.m. The Independent will continue to follow and report on this event.
Updated:
In July 2018, NEIU student Curtis K. Jackson Sr. filed a civil rights complaint against NEIU and more than 12 employees on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) violations. As reported by the Independent on Jan. 22, several of the defendants were dropped from the suit, leaving only three.
Currently, there are no updates on the case. There have been several documents filed with the Illinois legal system requesting more time. The next status hearing has been reset for March 12, 2019 at 9 a.m. The Independent will continue to keep the community up-to-date on this issue.
For more information about the lawsuit, please read the Jan. 22 article.
Johnson • Jun 21, 2020 at 9:52 am
Galindo Arturo’s actions
and Castro’s actions of discrimination and civil injustice and humiliation are taught by their superiors Frederick Brehmer and Paul Kruzinski who did something similar with African_American student in 2013. Paul Kruzinski and Frerick Brehmer opened students’ locker and took out all his belongings out of the locker and threw them on the floor.When the student saw this, he was treated with the same smirk and giggles and laughter by Galindo Arturo Jr.,Fidel Castro,and not to forget the tall thin white with blind hair alcoholic and drug addict who is Galindo Arturo’s buddy. Consequences of their bullying is that the African-American student killed himself. That’s not how someone sworn to protect people should act. Since NEIU Police department has proven records of endangering the life of NEIU students, I believe students should stick together and complain and write to COPRA or call 311 to complain about the police brutality of NEIU police department so their practices to be investigated.
Neiu police department victim • Jun 21, 2020 at 9:43 am
Galindo Arturo’s actions
and Castro’s actions of discrimination and civil injustice and humiliation are taught by their superiors Frederick Brehmer and Paul Kruzinski who did something similar with African_American student in 2013. Paul Kruzinski and Frerick Brehmer opened students’ locker and took out all his belongings out of the locker and threw them on the floor.When the student saw this, he was treated with the same smirk and giggles and laughter by Galindo Arturo Jr.,Fidel Castro,and not to forget the tall thin white with blind hair alcoholic and drug addict who is Galindo Arturo’s buddy. Consequences of their bullying is that the African-American student killed himself. That’s not how someone sworn to protect people should act. Since NEIU Police department has proven records of endangering the life of NEIU students, I believe students should stick together and complain and write to COPRA or call 311 to complain about the police brutality of NEIU police department so their practices to be investigated.
Gerrero • Feb 27, 2020 at 4:42 am
It’s not suprising this has happened.I am a hispanic student at NEIU,and I have been harassed and traumatized by Galindo Arturo Jr. and Fidel Castro relative for the past 6 years.In adfition,Galindo Arturo Jr. Has involved his illinois cop buddies to traumatize me as well. However,I shall look at Shaw Legal Services LTD because I am also plsnning to bring a lawsuit against tge given people.Galindo Arturo Jr. has bern writin on NEIU hispanic twitter and facebook and other accounts “immigrant go back where u come from,”including to my account to. In 2007,Galindo Arturo Jr. punched my relative into his car and broke his eyebrow. My relative was a NEIU student at this time.Galindo Arturo Jr. was not suspended at this time for this race descrimination,but my relative was susoended by NEIU for several months. On addition to this,my Galindo Arturo Jr. Was calling my relative immigrant on social media,but my relative decided to be quiet about this social injustice practice by NEIU because he was new to the school. Make sure u fix your facebooks and social media that only friends can write on. About 6 years ago Galindo Arturo Jr. Beat up even his Hispanic coworker . Thisvtime he was given 1 month paid susoension and to receive psychological evoluation. He was found unstable to perform his duty as a police officer with his borderline disorder,multiple personality and schizophrenia,and yet he is still in uniform.I am sure NEIU police has kept thise incidents in their closet i.e the Chicago or Illinois police authority are not aware of these incidents because this would have impacted in a negative way the accreditation of NEIU police department.Galindo Arturo Jr. And Paplo F(idel)Cadtro have been supported by their supetiors Frederick Brehmer and Paul Kruscynski leytenant with his racistic actions.
Harassed and Traumatized by Galindo Arturo Jr. and Pablo F(idel)Castro • Feb 27, 2020 at 4:37 am
It’s not suprising this has happened.I am a hispanic student at NEIU,and I have been harassed and traumatized by Galindo Arturo Jr. and Fidel Castro relative for the past 6 years.In adfition,Galindo Arturo Jr. Has involved his illinois cop buddies to traumatize me as well. However,I shall look at Shaw Legal Services LTD because I am also plsnning to bring a lawsuit against tge given people.Galindo Arturo Jr. has bern writin on NEIU hispanic twitter and facebook and other accounts “immigrant go back where u come from,”including to my account to. In 2007,Galindo Arturo Jr. punched my relative into his car and broke his eyebrow. My relative was a NEIU student at this time.Galindo Arturo Jr. was not suspended at this time for this race descrimination,but my relative was susoended by NEIU for several months. On addition to this,my Galindo Arturo Jr. Was calling my relative immigrant on social media,but my relative decided to be quiet about this social injustice practice by NEIU because he was new to the school. Make sure u fix your facebooks and social media that only friends can write on. About 6 years ago Galindo Arturo Jr. Beat up even his Hispanic coworker . Thisvtime he was given 1 month paid susoension and to receive psychological evoluation. He was found unstable to perform his duty as a police officer with his borderline disorder,multiple personality and schizophrenia,and yet he is still in uniform.I am sure NEIU police has kept thise incidents in their closet i.e the Chicago or Illinois police authority are not aware of these incidents because this would have impacted in a negative way the accreditation of NEIU police department.Galindo Arturo Jr. And Paplo F(idel)Cadtro have been supported by their supetiors Frederick Brehmer and Paul Kruscynski leytenant with his racistic actions.
Richard Gaithers • Feb 3, 2019 at 11:07 pm
To whom cares,
I have lived in the area (North Mayfair) close to Northeastern Illinois University for more than 8 years, so; after reading this article, I found myself feeling so disappointed.
I know that this is a situation to be contested in a court of law, but, given this school’s history with lawsuits filed by students in the past, and researching the demographic makeup of it’s campus police dept. and physical ed. dept., maybe this situation should not be all that surprising.
Good luck with the “diversity” pitch to black students from Chicago Public Schools. Ms./Mrs. Mary Thomas comments have merit.
Mary Thomas • Jan 28, 2019 at 10:48 pm
My grand daughter attends this school, and she has an social anxiety disorder, but; after reading this article and the court record, I think this is just shameful. Now, can see why she wants to transfer, I had no idea. And that officer: “Not Interested”. So, I guess his new boss brought the CPD way of doing things with him.
Mary Thomas • Jan 24, 2019 at 7:36 pm
This is shameful, and I don’t understand something like this happening at a school that wants to target african-ametican high school seniors for future attendance. My grandchild attends this school and has a social anxiety disorder, and I told her to stay away from this physical education building. She can go to the local ymca, I’d pay for it.
Thomas Griffin • Jan 23, 2019 at 10:30 am
I hope some people get fired over this. I have a vision impairment and other health concerns. I am not sure I want to sign up for a staff recreation pass now and pay for the privilege to be harassed. No surprise about racism from police. That’s the America we must rebel and fight against every day.