McGill music instructor claims he lost promotion to less qualified candidate | 24CA News
A trainer in McGill’s music division is suing the Montreal college for $300,000 claiming he was handed over for a prestigious job.
In the lawsuit filed on June 6 at Quebec Superior Court, conductor and teacher Jonathan Dagenais alleges a number of specialists agreed he was essentially the most certified candidate by far however that due to his race, he wasn’t chosen.
None of the allegations have been confirmed in courtroom and McGill University has not but delivered an announcement of defence setting out its response to Dagenais’ allegations.
Dagenais, a white man, is a well-respected conductor for a number of orchestras, together with the McGill Wind Orchestra. He’s a trainer on the college’s Schulich School of Music.
He has been a part-time and substitute lecturer at McGill for greater than a decade. When a professor and neighborhood engagement job got here up earlier this 12 months, he thought it was an ideal match.
“It was really my dream job,” Dagenais mentioned. “It’s exactly the job I was looking for in my life.”
After a seven-month software course of, Dagenais mentioned he was chosen as one of many closing three candidates for the tenured place.
At the grueling all-day audition, he mentioned he put his educating and conducting abilities on show in entrance of a seven-person panel.
“I felt really, really good. I was really nervous, actually, but I felt really good,” he mentioned.
Six weeks later, he hadn’t had any news. He reached out to one of many choice committee members to ask if he may count on news imminently.
He mentioned he was informed he wasn’t getting the job, and was shocked by the rationale given.
“At the end of the call, he said ‘It’s for diversity reasons,’” Dagenais mentioned.
He is also alleging he discovered that the choice committee really helpful him for the job unanimously not as soon as, however twice.
Still, the music division selected a candidate from a various background as a substitute, he mentioned.
Dagenais says he implements range and inclusion in all his educating and finds inclusiveness vitally necessary.
“I felt really like it went a bit too far. It’s important to promote diversity, to give equality of chances,” he mentioned. “There’s a difference between equality of chances and equality of results at the end.”
His $300,000 lawsuit towards the varsity cites the psychological and monetary results of the choice and claims his elementary rights had been breached.
Dagenais’ lawyer, Gabriel Chaloult Lavoie, mentioned the choice committee deemed his consumer’s candidacy “not only better, but by far better,” than the opposite candidates.
“McGill used my client in order to give some credibility to their selection process, while they knew from the beginning that he never had a chance to get that position,” the lawyer alleged.
Dagenais mentioned had he recognized the college was particularly searching for a candidate from a various background, he wouldn’t have put a lot vitality into his software and would have sought different employment.
“I would have been a bit disappointed because I love McGill, but I would have understood,” he mentioned.
Ironically Dagenais simply received a educating award from the varsity.
He has a letter of help signed by dozens of scholars however has given up on getting the job. He’s so devastated, he would possibly depart music altogether, he says.
“I’m heartbroken by this,” he mentioned by way of tears. “You give your heart to the institution, you give your heart to students, and then this thing happens. You’re just asking yourself why? Why? Why am I doing this?”
McGill wouldn’t touch upon his particular case however mentioned it follows all legal guidelines and inner insurance policies throughout hiring processes.
“McGill does not prioritize membership in an equity-seeking group over excellence in any context, including academic recruitment,” the college mentioned in an e mail not signed by any particular spokesperson.
“We can provide assurance that all those appointed to academic positions are eminently qualified and positioned to flourish intellectually and academically at McGill University.”
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