Ex-Art Professor Gets Trial in ‘Unusual’ Iranian Bias Lawsuit

A jury must decide whether a Delta State University tenure-track assistant professor was forced out of his position because of his Turkish supervisor’s animosity towards his Iranian descent or because he was a poor professor.

In what the US District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi called a “rather unusual Title VII case,” Mansoor Shams made strong arguments that his Iranian national origin at least contributed to his alleged harassment and contract nonrenewal. Evidence indicating that the university misrepresented his legal options and denied him the right to consult with a lawyer raises questions about whether DSU was attempting ...