Utah school district to appeal ruling it showed prejudice in rejecting India native

Utah school district to appeal ruling over hiring

SALT LAKE CITY — A southern Utah school district says it plans to appeal a Utah Labor Commission judge’s ruling that its officials engaged in racial profiling and prejudice when they rejected a man from India for a substitute teaching position shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Harshad Desai is a U.S. citizen and native of India. He moved to Panguitch in Garfield County in 1992.

In August 2001, he applied to substitute teach. A year later he filed a discrimination complaint and learned about an Oct. 24, 2001, school board decision to reject his application.

Assistant Utah Attorney General Richard Bissell says the district will appeal to the Utah Antidiscrimination and Labor Division appeals board.

Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, www.sltrib.com