I with there was a lot more detail in the article. I love palek paneer but yeah, it’s kind of smelly – much like many other things – if you reheat it in the microwave. At a prior job I had a desk near the kitchen and I was routinely annoyed by many of the things people would heat or reheat. Fish, naturally. Curries of various sorts, definitely. But popcorn was probably the worst: Every week, without fail, someone would shove a pack in the microwave, turn it on, walk away, forget about it … Nothing at all racist about not wanting to smell someone else’s lunch for the rest of the day. I am assuming (hoping?) that there’s way more to this story.
https://dockets.justia.com/docket/colorado/codce/1:2025cv02802/247156
I think the court transcript is accessible to the public.
I’m not quite that invested … just very happy that I work from home these days 
And if you read the article, it makes the point that people are discriminated over food smells the world over.
“Some have also pointed out that discrimination over food is rampant in India as well, where non-vegetarian food is banned in many schools and colleges over perceptions of it being impure or dirty. People from disadvantaged castes and north-eastern states often face bias over their food habits, with some complaining about the smell of the ingredients they use.
And it’s not just Indian or South Asian food - communities from Africa, Latin America and other parts of Asia have also shared their experiences of being shamed over their food habits.”
Seems like a global issue to me, and not specific to the US (for once).
No, it’s not.
And what “transcript” are you referring to?
I don’t have the actual settlement, but the article says this:
Is that correct? The parties (students and university) agreed that the students would be forever banned from studying or working at the University of Colorado, Boulder?
Seems, um, sort of odd.
Hmmm, maybe:
Attorney: “We’re being sued for racial discrimination over some microwaved lunch. Seems pretty ridiculous. Would you like us to go ahead and fight it?”
School: “Not worth the risk if this blows up. Just make this go away. And make them go away, too.”
Highly ironic it was the anthropology department given the focus is studying culture(s), and we’re talking graduate students. Perhaps not so ironic is the complaint came from a Brit, or maybe even more so given curry is very popular in the UK.
On that note, was once at a Chinese banquet. At my table was a PhD student in Anthropology ready for a tenure track appointment….who freaked out seeing the eyes of a whole fish being served. I said nothing but thought….this guy is going to teach at a big university and he can’t stand the sight of a fish eye on a whole fish….okay….right.
Anyone at work who microwaves fish, of any kind, is terminable on the spot.
A student ready for a TT appointment? That’s less believable than someone being squeamish, which is unfortunate, but I’ve seen greater problems…
Once I was treated to a catered lunch when I came to a Uni as external examiner for a viva. The internal examiner had ordered a lot of pork so I couldn’t eat most of what was there. She was utterly surprised. Meanwhile, I was more surprised given that she was in the Islamic Studies department. I mean, weird flex even if a bit weird to order a lunch without asking the invited guest about food restrictions.
I can’t say the rest of the day went much better but that’s not food related.
He got his Phd, already got the job …. was still freaked out. So what is the greater problem, please explain. Do you want me to name names and the school?
That isn’t just weird, that’s a red flag.
If the person has the PhD, they’re not a student. It’s not often that a student will get a sought after permanent post when there’s people with degrees and finished theses out there.
Fine, whatever. It’s not about the appointment but a future Anthro prof being freaked out by seeing fish eyes on a whole fish.. Forest….trees…..
I had a microwaved palak paneer frozen entree yesterday. I didn’t think it was very pungent. It could have used some pungency.
This absolutely makes the most sense. “Here’s some cash. It’s less than we would have spent fighting it. We admit nothing, and YOU say nothing more and go away. We good?”
“As long as the check clears.”
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I don’t think this is a very good story. I have questions. Did the “British staff member” complain about other foods? Did the university ask the British SM why he started this controversy? Maybe they should’ve just made him apologize. Although he probably has tenure and the authorities can’t do anything about his behavior. What I think is more important than someone complaining about a food smell is that the students were “losing their research funding, teaching roles and even the PhD advisers they had worked with for months.” Did this really happen and was the university questioned about these things happening? Are there other reports of students losing research funding, etc. for discriminatory reasons? Is it possible the students were loosing the funding, etc. for valid reasons and not for smelly food? Why would they sue for a measly $200,000 about food smells when it sounds like there were way more serious issues.
