Law professor claims improper punishment

CHICAGO, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- A law school professor in Chicago is suing for $1 million over what he calls an improper punishment over comments he made comparing black and Jewish students.

John Gorby, who is neither Jewish nor African-American, opined to a Jewish student after a class at John Marshall Law School that religious training may help explain why Jews pass the bar exam at higher rates than blacks, who tend to come from religions that "emphasize an emotional and spiritual religious experience rather than discussion and debate about the meaning of scriptural language," the Chicago Sun-Times reported Wednesday.

Gorby successfully appealed to the school's appellate board to have an official reprimand stricken from his record but he failed to regain a five percent raise that was canceled by the dean. He also complains that the incident cost him $25,000 in attorney's fees.

Gorby, who argues that his statements were an exercise in academic freedom and that professors should be allowed to spark provocative discussions about raising the bar graduation rates, is seeking $1 million in the suit.