CAIR-Chicago Welcomes Accountability Measures for Cook County Judge Following Racist Meme Incident
(CHICAGO, IL, 1/13/25) – The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called for heightened accountability and reform within the judicial system following reports of Cook County Judge Caroline Glennon-Goodman sharing a racist meme targeting Black individuals.
According to reports, the judge allegedly circulated a meme depicting a Black child with an ankle monitor, accompanied by a demeaning caption. The Cook County Circuit Court’s Executive Committee has reassigned her duties, ordered her to undergo implicit bias training, and referred the matter to the Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board for further investigation.
SEE MORE: Cook County judge who shared racist meme faces state probe, reassignment and bias training
“When those entrusted with delivering justice engage in behavior that perpetuates racial stereotypes, it undermines public trust and reinforces the very inequities the judiciary is meant to address,” said Heena Musabji, Legal Director for CAIR-Chicago. “The judiciary must hold itself to the highest standards of impartiality and fairness. Sharing a racist meme, even in a private context, raises serious concerns about a judge’s ability to rule without bias, especially in cases involving marginalized communities.”
CAIR-Chicago’s mission is to defend civil rights, fight bigotry, and promote understanding.
CONTACT: Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director of CAIR Chicago, 202-870-0166, arehab@cair.com; Maggie Slavin, Operations Manager of CAIR-Chicago, 815-590-3991, mslavin@cair.com; Heena Musabji, Legal Director of CAIR-Chicago, 312-212-1520, hmusabji@cair.com; Hafsa Haider, Communications Coordinator of CAIR-Chicago, 561-317-7509, hhaider@cair.com