Michelle Obama’s brother settles his discrimination lawsuit with a private school.
Craig Robinson and his wife, Kelly, filed the lawsuit against a private school in Milwaukee in 2022.
Craig Robinson, executive director of the National Association of College Basketball Coaches and brother of former First Lady Michelle Obama, has settled a racial discrimination lawsuit with a private school in Milwaukee.
According to The Associated Press, Robinson and his wife, Kelly, filed the lawsuit in 2022 after the University School of Milwaukee canceled the re-enrollment contracts for their sons, then ages 9 and 11, for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school allegedly canceled the Robinsons’ children’s contracts after the couple expressed concerns about teachers treating students from disadvantaged backgrounds differently. They also observed racially insensitive content in assignments during their sons’ virtual learning amid the pandemic.
While school officials claimed the decision not to renew the Robinsons’ children’s contracts was not related to their complaints, USM’s Head of School, Steve Hancock, stated in a termination letter that it was due to the couple’s alleged disrespectful communication with teachers and staff.
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that the lawsuit was dismissed by the Milwaukee County Circuit Court with prejudice, meaning it cannot be retried. No details of the settlement were disclosed.
The Robinsons’ complaint claimed that USM sought to “punish two model students” in retaliation for their parents raising valid concerns about how the school treated students of color and other underrepresented groups.
In 2022, Robinson told the Journal-Sentinel that the lawsuit wasn’t just about their sons but also about other children at the school.
“We heard from several people and realized our situation wasn’t unique, but part of a pattern,” Craig Robinson said. “Once we understood that, we felt a responsibility to act because we’d feel awful just walking away.”
In a joint statement from the Robinson family and USM following the court’s decision, both parties expressed regret that the disagreements led to the Robinson children no longer being part of the USM community. “The Robinson children were model students at USM,” the statement read. “Both parties will not be commenting further on this matter.”
