Two Black former Nichols College students have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the private Massachusetts school, alleging administrators disciplined them far more harshly than white students involved in a 2023 campus fight.
According to Lawyers for Civil Rights, Shamar Hall and Giovanni McLaughlin contend that Nichols College disciplined them despite their claims of self-defense.
Hall was expelled, while McLaughlin was restricted from participating in campus activities and accessing student life resources.
The former students contend that white students involved in the fight, including those who started the violence, faced no comparable consequences.
Attorneys from Lawyers for Civil Rights and pro bono counsel from Zalkind, Duncan & Bernstein LLP filed the federal lawsuit on behalf of the students. The Worcester Branch of the NAACP has also backed Hall and McLaughlin, calling for institutional accountability.
The Campus Fight
The dispute stems from an October 2023 physical altercation involving multiple students. Hall and McLaughlin say the disciplinary process that followed was influenced by racial bias and ultimately disrupted their education and plans for their futures.
Court records show the fight happened during a large student gathering in the early hours of Oct. 29, 2023. Hall and McLaughlin were among 10 students accused of attacking four others, allegedly kicking them in the head and body, according to police statements reported by the Telegram & Gazette.
One student was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion. Three others who stepped in to help suffered cuts and bruises. Investigators identified the suspects using at least two cellphone videos.
Police described the footage as showing students kicking the victims with “shod feet” and spitting on them. At least five of the 10 students accused were members of the Nichols College football team.
Hall had been recruited to play football at Nichols College but was not actively listed on the roster at the time of the 2023 incident.
Dudley Police Chief Marek Karlowicz has rejected the characterization of the incident as a typical fight, calling it “an attack.” He also denied that race or sports played a role in the investigation and said police found no basis to classify the incident as a hate crime. “There’s no evidence that the (accused) students acted in self-defense. This wasn’t a fair fight. The victim was on the ground, all curled up trying to protect his head while everybody’s stomping on him,” Karlowicz said.
Self-Defense Claims
Hall and McLaughlin’s attorneys and the Worcester NAACP dispute that account. They maintain that the two Black students acted in self-defense and argue that the college and police failed to adequately examine the actions of the white students involved.
Their letter states that “Mr. Hall and Mr. McLaughlin acted only in self-defense,” while accusing Nichols College of taking disciplinary action against them “while failing to question or discipline any of the white students involved.”
“Nichols College unfairly targeted us, putting our futures at risk,” Hall said. “I hope this lawsuit prompts the institution to reconsider its approach to racial justice. I don’t want anyone else to go through what we did.”
McLaughlin, who held leadership positions on campus as president of Men of Distinction and vice president of the Nichols College rugby team, said he had never previously been subjected to disciplinary action.
“Before this, I had never faced any disciplinary action,” McLaughlin said. “Nichols College had always been a place where I felt welcome and involved. We are seeking a fair and just resolution.”
Treated Differently
The lawsuit outlines several allegations against Nichols College, including what the students describe as an investigation that treated Black students differently from their white counterparts.
Their attorneys allege that investigators used racially biased questioning and disregarded important statements from Black witnesses.
The civil rights groups also allege that Hall and McLaughlin were denied access to legal counsel during the college’s conduct hearings. They say the Dudley Police Department’s investigation similarly excluded important testimony and focused its criminal investigation on Black students. The groups further allege that racially charged posts on a Nichols College-sanctioned online platform went unanswered during the investigation and disciplinary process.
The complaint also alleges that the college did not adequately respond to racially charged speech circulating during the investigation. This included posts on Yik Yak, a social media platform that students at the school use.
Mirian Albert, a senior attorney with Lawyers for Civil Rights, said schools have a responsibility to ensure students receive equal treatment during disciplinary proceedings.
“Colleges and universities have a legal and moral obligation to conduct disciplinary proceedings that are fair and free from discrimination,” Albert said. “This lawsuit is a reminder to all educational institutions that if you engage in or fail to remedy disparate treatment, such as hate speech on campus, there will be legal consequences.”
Monica Shah, a partner at Zalkind, Duncan & Bernstein LLP, said the case reflects what she described as an unequal standard being applied to the students.
“Nichols College’s response to this incident reflects a troubling double standard,” Shah said. “Our clients were punished harshly for defending themselves, while white students involved in the same altercation were not meaningfully investigated or held accountable. That kind of unequal treatment raises profound civil rights concerns and has no place in a fair disciplinary process.”
Life-Changing Incident
The Worcester NAACP has also backed the students’ claims.
“When institutions fail to treat students equitably, the NAACP must intervene,” said Fred Taylor, president of the organization’s Worcester branch. “Dismantling systems of bias in higher education is essential, not optional.”
Hall and McLaughlin first asked Nichols College to address what they viewed as unequal treatment in April 2024.
Their requests included returning Hall to the school in good standing, restoring McLaughlin’s access to campus housing and academic resources, and conducting a broader examination of the school’s policies for racial bias and discrimination.
According to the lawsuit, the college did not take meaningful action in response to those requests.
The students say the fallout eventually forced both of them to transfer to other schools. The transfers disrupted their anticipated paths toward graduation and affected their educational and professional plans.
Their lawsuit now seeks damages and accountability from Nichols College. The students also want changes that would prevent other students of color from experiencing what they describe as similar treatment.
Nichols College has declined to comment on the specific allegations, citing federal laws and regulations governing student educational records. A college spokesperson said its conduct process is confidential and that the school is not involved in the ongoing criminal proceedings referenced by the civil rights groups. The spokesperson added that Nichols College has “confidence in the fairness of its student conduct system.”
The case puts the college’s handling of the 2023 altercation under scrutiny while Hall and McLaughlin seek legal relief over what they allege was discriminatory discipline.
