Supreme Court of Missouri / Jan 15, 2019
Shereen Kader, Respondent, vs. Board of Regents of Harris-Stowe State University, Appellant.
Dr. Shereen Kader sued Harris-Stowe State University for national origin discrimination and retaliation under the Missouri Human Rights Act after her teaching contract was not renewed, stemming from issues with her O-1 visa application. A jury found Harris-Stowe liable, awarding substantial damages. On appeal, Harris-Stowe argued the jury instructions were erroneous. The Missouri Supreme Court reversed the judgment and remanded for a new trial, holding that the instructions improperly allowed the jury to find liability for conduct not actionable under the MHRA, specifically the university's failure to appeal the denial of Dr. Kader's O-1 visa application.