Well, this is the mindset that prompted Paulo Serodio, a former student at a New Jersey medical school to file a lawsuit, ABCNews.com reports. The 45-year-old native of Mozambique claims he was harassed and then suspended for identifying himself as a “White African American” during a cultural exercise at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
“I’m not exaggerating,” he said recently. “This has destroyed my life.”
Serodio is seeking reinstatement at the school, an undisclosed amount in medical damages and public acknowledgment that doctors and other employees at the Newark, N.J.-based school violated his rights. His lawsuit argues that two years ago, during a cultural exercise in a clinical skills course taught by Dr. Kathy Ann Duncan, students were asked to define themselves for a discussion on culture and medicine. Serodio described himself as a “White African American,” according to ABCNews.com. When another student said he was offended because Serodio is White, he was told by his instructor to never define himself that way again.
“It was offensive to others and to people of color for him to do so," he says he was told by Duncan. "It's crazy," Serodio's attorney, Gregg Zeff, told ABCNews.com. "Because that's what he is."
Serodio, who was suspended from the school in 2007, said he has never had a problem defining himself as an African American before. "There are people of all races who are African," Serodio said.
School officials declined comment to ABCNews.com.
“I’m not exaggerating,” he said recently. “This has destroyed my life.”
Serodio is seeking reinstatement at the school, an undisclosed amount in medical damages and public acknowledgment that doctors and other employees at the Newark, N.J.-based school violated his rights. His lawsuit argues that two years ago, during a cultural exercise in a clinical skills course taught by Dr. Kathy Ann Duncan, students were asked to define themselves for a discussion on culture and medicine. Serodio described himself as a “White African American,” according to ABCNews.com. When another student said he was offended because Serodio is White, he was told by his instructor to never define himself that way again.
“It was offensive to others and to people of color for him to do so," he says he was told by Duncan. "It's crazy," Serodio's attorney, Gregg Zeff, told ABCNews.com. "Because that's what he is."
Serodio, who was suspended from the school in 2007, said he has never had a problem defining himself as an African American before. "There are people of all races who are African," Serodio said.
School officials declined comment to ABCNews.com.
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