Due to Oberlin College and Conservatory dragging its feet in paying libel damages to an Ohio bakery, the school has racked up over $4M in interest — bringing the college’s total dues up to the $36M range.

The situation’s origins date back to a 2016 incident involving a group of Black Oberlin College students and Allyn Gibson, whose family operates Gibson’s Bakery and Food Mart in Oberlin, Ohio.

According to Fox News, one of the students was suspected of stealing bottles of wine, prompting a chase that ended with Gibson tackling the student. The other two students also got involved in the tussle, and all three were arrested.

In the aftermath, the establishment was accused of racial profiling, mainly since the altercation coincidentally occurred the day after Donald Trump was elected president of the United States.

Meredith Raimondo, Oberlin’s then-VP and dean of students was an individual who participated in speaking out against the establishment. At one point Raimondo reportedly handed out flyers blasting Gibson’s Bakery and Food Mart as a “RACIST establishment with a LONG ACCOUNT of RACIAL PROFILING and DISCRIMINATION,” per Fox News.

Despite the outcry, all three students pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges. Additionally, they read statements saying that the incident wasn’t racially motivated.

In turn, the establishment filed a lawsuit against Oberlin College in 2017, alleging that it was the victim of libel. A jury ultimately found both the college and Raimondo guilty of committing defamation and inflicting emotional distress on the owners.

The establishment was initially awarded $44M, which was later lowered to $25M. However, in 2019, the court ordered Oberlin to add $6.5M to cover the Gibsons’ legal fees.

Due to Oberlin dragging its feet in paying the settlement, the interest, which is $4,300 per day, has caused the total amount to balloon to more than $36M, according to The Chronicle.

In the wake of this news, conservatives have taken to the internet to rejoice in “woke Oberlin College” losing the lawsuit.

According to The Chronicle, Oberlin College recently filed an appeal against the payment, so it’s currently unclear how the legal situation will pan out.

It’s worth referencing Oberlin’s long history of promoting “progressive causes and social justice.” According to the institution’s website, Oberlin — which was founded in 1833 — began admitting Black students in 1837, though it didn’t grant its first bachelor’s degree to a Black student until 1844.

The college also notably started granting bachelor’s degrees to women in 1841, and Mary Jane Patterson became the first Black woman to earn a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin in 1862.

What do you think about the overall situation?

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