GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — Former Calvin University President Wiebe Boer has filed a federal lawsuit in the Western District of Michigan U.S. District Court.
In the lawsuit, Boer claims his former employer rushed him to resign, didn't allow him proper legal protections, unduly harmed his reputation and even racially discriminated against his wife, Joanna Boer, who is Black.
Boer resigned last year after the school said they received a report that alleged Boer engaged in unwelcome and inappropriate communication and attention toward a member of the campus community.
The school clarified the person was not a student.
While the school said the alleged communication was neither sexually explicit nor physical, they said it was concerning.
In the 44-page lawsuit, the former administrator claims the university essentially breached its contract when it forced him to resign.
Boer claims he didn't have time to adequately defend himself to the board and that the college defamed him by releasing a, "Misleading, vague and unnecessarily damaging public statement."
He also claims the university discriminated against his wife because of her race and gender.
As the "first lady" of Calvin, she was an employee of the university.
However, the Boers claim that Joanna Boer wasn't given the responsibility and access that others in similar roles were given.
The Boers are seeking salary, wage and bonuses he should have received if he were still employed along with damages for mental and emotional distress.
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