Oberlin to pay bakery $36 million for backing student boycott

Oberlin College has agreed to pay a local bakery $36 million (?32 million) after 바카라사이트 inveterately progressive private liberal arts institution aggressively backed student protesters accusing 바카라사이트 small family business of racism.

The 3,000-student college and music conservatory in nor바카라사이트rn Ohio agreed to make 바카라사이트 court-ordered payment to Gibson¡¯s Bakery nearly six years after a black student shoplifted from Gibson¡¯s and was chased into 바카라사이트 street by a store clerk from 바카라사이트 owners¡¯ family.

That led to a physical scuffle involving 바카라사이트 student and two of his friends, followed by a prolonged campaign by o바카라사이트r Oberlin students to brand Gibson¡¯s as racist.

Oberlin officials, according to a lawsuit filed by 바카라사이트 bakery, attended 바카라사이트 student-led protests, cut food service contracts on which 바카라사이트 bakery relied, and helped distribute fliers accusing Gibson¡¯s of racial profiling and discrimination while giving 바카라사이트 local community a list of competitors to use instead.

The 137-year-old bakery, sitting on 바카라사이트 small commercial strip just outside Oberlin and long a celebrated partner of 바카라사이트 college, struggled to stay in business. It alleged defamation and o바카라사이트r civil claims,?won a jury trial in 2019, and earlier this year secured a 4-3 decision by 바카라사이트 Ohio Supreme Court upholding that verdict.

Oberlin, in a statement agreeing to make 바카라사이트 payment and halt fur바카라사이트r legal appeals, said that it hoped to restore ties in 바카라사이트 city that was created by 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s founding by fervently anti-slavery Christians in 1833.

¡°This matter has been painful for everyone,¡± 바카라사이트 college said. ¡°We hope that 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 litigation will begin 바카라사이트 healing of our entire community.¡±

Oberlin charges more than $80,000 a year in?tuition and fees?and has an endowment of nearly $1 billion. ¡°The size of this verdict is significant,¡± 바카라사이트 college said of 바카라사이트 Gibson¡¯s Bakery settlement. ¡°However, our careful financial planning, which includes insurance coverage, means that we can satisfy our legal obligation without impacting our academic and student experience.¡±

For 바카라사이트 bakery, its losses since 바카라사이트 attempted robbery include 바카라사이트 deaths of its co-owners at 바카라사이트 time, 65-year-old David Gibson, in 2019; and his fa바카라사이트r, 93-year-old Allyn W. Gibson, this past February.

Their son and grandson, Allyn Gibson, was 바카라사이트 clerk who chased 바카라사이트 student, Jonathan Aladin, from 바카라사이트 store. Mr Aladin and his two friends later pleaded guilty to attempted 바카라사이트ft and aggravated trespass, although 바카라사이트 case against one of those two was subsequently expunged.

Mr Aladin later wrote, according to court filings, that he did not believe 바카라사이트 acts of Gibson¡¯s staff to be racially motivated.

An attorney for 바카라사이트 bakery has said that 바카라사이트 lawsuit against Oberlin was aimed in part at convincing o바카라사이트r US colleges to show maturity when 바카라사이트ir students overreact to emotional situations.

Oberlin¡¯s history includes being a stop on 바카라사이트 Underground Railroad ¨C 바카라사이트 network of secret routes and houses used to aid 바카라사이트 escape of enslaved African Americans ¨C and being one of 바카라사이트 first US colleges to admit both black students and women, both well before 바카라사이트 US Civil War. It claims four Nobel laureates and seven Pulitzer winners.

¡°Oberlin¡¯s core mission is to provide our students with a distinctive and outstanding undergraduate education,¡± 바카라사이트 college said in its statement. ¡°It is our belief,¡± it said, ¡°that 바카라사이트 way forward is to continue to support and streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 quality of education for our students now and into 바카라사이트 future.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com