By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor
NEW ORLEANS (LBM) — The Associated Press has reported that Joe Aguillard, a former Louisiana College president, has lost his appeal in a federal lawsuit against the school.
The case was heard Aug. 19 by a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals who were unanimous in their opinion: James Graves (Barak Obama appointee), Carolyn King (Jimmy Carter), and Andrew Oldham (Donald Trump).
“After he was fi red by Louisiana College, Joe Aguillard sent misconduct allegations to the college’s accrediting body,” they wrote. “Those accusations prompted Louisiana College to sue Aguillard in state court for defamation. Aguillard countered by suing the college in federal court, alleging-among other things– that the defamation suit violated anti-retaliation provisions found in the Americans With Disabilities Act and in Title VII.”
“The district court granted Louisiana College summary judgment regarding Aguillard’s claims,” the opinion noted, “and we affirm.”
Aguillard was president of Louisiana College for nine years before he was removed in April 2014 under an agreement with the Board of Trustees that named him president emeritus, according to a May 2019 report by thetowntalk.com. He also was placed on a one-year sabbatical; and, the board stripped the president emeritus title from him in April 2016.
