Media giant Gannett is being sued by a group of current and former employees for implementing a "reverse racism" policy that allegedly favors women and minorities over others.

Gannett owns hundreds of newspapers across the United States, including USA Today, and is facing a lawsuit from a group of current and former staffers who claim they were fired or overlooked for promotions in favor of less-qualified women and minorities.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Virginia, accuses Gannett of violating federal law through racial discrimination in its hiring practices and seeks a jury trial, an immediate end to the diversity policy, and compensation for the affected employees, the Daily Mail reported.

Gannett, however, denies the allegations and insists that it offers opportunities to all and hires and promotes based on merit.

Details of the Lawsuit

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Steven Bradley, Stephen Crane, Noah Hiles, Barbara Augsdorfer, and Logan Barry.

They allege that Gannett's diversity hiring policy, introduced in 2020, shows "callous indifference" towards civil rights laws and the welfare of the workers affected by it.

Bradley, a former sports editor at the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, claims he was fired and not considered for another position because he is white.

Similarly, Barry alleges he was overlooked for a leadership role at the Progress-Index in Petersburg, Virginia, in favor of a less-qualified black woman.

Augsdorfer claims she was pushed aside from her job as an education and nonprofits reporter at the Savannah Morning News to make room for black hires and was later fired after a poor performance review.

The lawsuit comes amid a series of legal actions challenging diversity programs at major corporations, including Starbucks, Target, and Progressive Insurance.

Critics argue that such programs amount to reverse racism and unfairly impact white men, while supporters contend they are necessary to overcome historical racism and sexism and promote equal opportunities for all.

Reaction to the lawsuit

In response to the lawsuit, Gannett's legal counsel, Polly Grunfeld Sack, stated:

Gannett always seeks to recruit and retain the most qualified individuals for all roles within the company. We will vigorously defend our practice of ensuring equal opportunities for all our valued employees against this meritless lawsuit.

The lawsuit also references a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision finding explicit use of a student's race in college admissions processes to be unconstitutional.

Since that ruling was issued, conservative activists and politicians have been seeking ways to eliminate diversity hiring programs in the private sector.

Impact on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives

The lawsuit against Gannett is part of a broader trend of legal challenges to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in corporate America.

A group formed by legal campaigner Edward Blum, who spearheaded the aforementioned Supreme Court case on affirmative action, recently filed lawsuits against two major American law firms over fellowships offered to minorities and LGBT people.

Republican officials have also written to corporate law firms and big corporations, warning them against pursuing illegal racial quotas in their DEI schemes for hiring and promoting staff.

While some view diversity schemes as important and necessary, others argue they may be well-intentioned but often achieve the opposite effect by stirring up divisions in offices and classrooms.

Conclusion

• Gannett is being sued by a group of current and former employees who claim they were fired or overlooked for promotions due to a 'reverse racism' policy that favors women and minorities.
• The lawsuit is part of a broader trend of legal challenges against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in corporate America.
• Critics argue that such programs amount to reverse racism and unfairly impact white men, while supporters contend they are necessary to overcome historical racism and sexism and promote equal opportunities for all.