Idaho Jury Finds Idaho State University Retaliated Against Former Pharmacy Student Based on Race
Why It Matters
A Bannock County jury verdict against Idaho State University has put the spotlight on how public universities in Idaho handle student complaints of racial discrimination — and what consequences institutions face when courts find those processes fall short. The case draws attention to the rights of students under both federal civil rights law and the First Amendment at taxpayer-funded institutions.
What Happened
A Bannock County jury ruled that Idaho State University and two of its faculty members retaliated against former pharmacy student Chanica Sintima based on her race, her attorneys announced Friday. Judge Robert Naftz delivered the verdict Thursday after the jury began deliberations Tuesday.
Sintima was in her fourth year at ISU’s L.S. Skaggs College of Pharmacy and was on track to graduate in May 2024. She had maintained a cumulative 3.62 GPA and earned multiple Dean’s List recognitions throughout her studies.
In the fall of 2023, Sintima was enrolled in an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience course under Dr. Erin Berry at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. According to her legal team, she reported concerns of racial discrimination and unfair treatment by Berry during the course.
Shortly after raising those concerns and engaging with the Pocatello Chapter of the NAACP, Sintima’s access to the EIRMC facility was restricted, she was failed in the pharmacy practice course, and she was ultimately expelled from the College of Pharmacy program on January 24, 2024, according to a news release from her attorneys.
The jury found ISU and two faculty members — Berry and Dr. Kasidy McKay, who serves as chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences — liable for retaliation. The verdict cited violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the Idaho Human Rights Act, and 42 U.S.C. § 1983 under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
By the Numbers
- $160,000 — damages awarded to Sintima for the university’s breaches, as recorded in case summary documents from the Bannock County Courthouse
- 3.62 — Sintima’s cumulative GPA at the time of her expulsion
- 4th year — Sintima’s standing in the pharmacy program before her expulsion in January 2024
- 3 — defendants named in the verdict: ISU as an institution, Dr. Erin Berry, and Dr. Kasidy McKay
- 3 — legal violations cited by the jury, spanning federal civil rights law, state law, and constitutional First Amendment protections
What ISU Said
Idaho State University provided a statement disputing the jury’s conclusion while pledging to respect the outcome. “While we do not agree with the conclusion that retaliation occurred, we respect the judicial system and look forward to moving beyond this issue,” the university said.
ISU also defended its broader institutional practices, stating: “Idaho State University has established policies and processes in place to ensure students have a safe and respectful learning environment, and ISU’s employees work diligently to create a supportive educational experience for all students.”
Zoom Out
The case reflects a broader national trend of civil rights and First Amendment claims being litigated against public universities. Courts across the Mountain West have increasingly been asked to weigh student rights against institutional authority, particularly in professional degree programs where dismissals can carry career-ending consequences.
The verdict also arrives amid ongoing legislative conversations in Idaho about higher education accountability. Earlier this year, Idaho lawmakers debated education funding and oversight during the 2026 legislative session, reflecting continued public scrutiny of how state-funded institutions operate.
What’s Next
Sintima’s legal team says she has received an outpouring of support from the Pocatello community and expressed gratitude for the jury’s decision. According to the release, “Ms. Sintima wishes to express her sincerest gratitude for delivering justice in this case and looks forward to using this opportunity to further her life-long dream of becoming a Doctor of Pharmacy.”
ISU has not indicated whether it plans to appeal the verdict. Given the $160,000 judgment against a state-funded public university, Idaho taxpayers and state officials may take a closer look at how the institution handles future student grievances involving civil rights claims. The university said it will continue working to ensure its policies reflect its stated commitment to a respectful learning environment.
About the Author
