ST. LOUIS — A new lawsuit claims Washington University, together with its media consultant and lobbyist, shared confidential information about a student's expulsion in a bid to defeat state changes to how sex-discrimination complaints are handled.
The lawsuit was filed last month in St. Louis Circuit Court by a former WashU student, identified in the lawsuit as "John Doe," who was accused and subsequently expelled in 2018 for allegedly harassing another student in violation of the school's Title IX policies, which relate to the federal law barring sexual discrimination in education.
According to the lawsuit, the student's father in 2018 lobbied the Missouri legislature to pass two bills that would allowed students accused of Title IX violations to hire attorneys and cross-examine witnesses, including their accusers. The student "maintained that he was not responsible for the alleged harassment" and contends he wasn't given due process by WashU prior to expulsion.
Though the bills never passed, the lawsuit claims it sparked enough concern at WashU that the university, along with the help of media consultant Connie Farrow and lobbyist Bill Gamble, sought to "villainize, shame and discredit" John Doe to prevent passage of the bills. Listed as defendants are the university, Farrow and her firm, plus Gamble and his Gamble & Schlemeier Ltd.
The university declined to comment. Farrow didn't respond to an email seeking comment. Gamble didn't respond to calls and emails.
The suit says the university and the consultants "repeatedly accessed, removed, communicated, disclosed and/or displayed and copied John Doe's personal, private and confidential details in the possession and control of the University, including University Title IX complaint, hearing, evidence, decision and discipline against him..."
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