Who is Craig Robinson? Michelle Obama's brother and his wife sue University School of Milwaukee over retaliatory removal of their sons

On Monday, April 18, Craig Robinson, brother of the former first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, and his wife, Kelly, appeared on Good Morning America. In the interview, they spoke about their lawsuit against the University School of Milwaukee.

The two alleged that the school indulged in racial biases during their online lessons. They also alleged that UMS expelled their two sons from the school after they raised their concerns about the racial bias. Moreover, Craig and Kelly Robinson claimed that the school was inconsiderate of certain students' socio-economic status.

Robinson told GMA:

"We're moving forward with this for a couple of reasons. We want to hold University School of Milwaukee accountable not just to our two children who they retaliated against, but more importantly, there's a whole community of people who are out there that we wouldn't feel right if this happened moving forward."

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What is known about Michelle Obama's elder brother, Craig Robinson?

Craig Robinson (60), a former Ivy league basketball player, is currently serving as the Executive Director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). As per his profile in the organization's database, Robinson accepted the position in 2020.

Prior to his association with the NABC, he was a successful basketball administrator and former Division I head coach. In fact, he has coached many basketball teams following his extensive career as a college basketball player.

According to NABC, the Illinois native also served as the "Vice President of Player Development and Minor League Operations for the NBA's New York Knicks." The former Ivy league basketball player held a similar position at Milwaukee Bucks between 2016 and 2017.

After being raised in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood, Craig Robinson attended Princeton University. During his time at the institution, Robinson became a two-time conference Player of the Year between the years 1979 and 1983. He graduated from Princeton with a Bachelor's degree in Sociology after which he joined the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business for his MBA in Finance.

Robinson has garnered a lot of praise for his achievements, and his younger sister, Michelle Obama, has admired him time and again. In her 2018 memoir, Becoming, Michelle Obama expressed her love for him and wrote:

"You have been my protector since the day I was born. You have made me laugh more than any other person on this earth. You are the best brother a sister could ask for, a loving and caring son, husband, and father."

Craig Robinson shares two children, Avery and Leslie, with his first wife, Janis Robinson. In 2006, he married Kelly, with whom he shares two sons, Austin and Aaron.

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Kelly and Craig Robinson’s lawsuit against the University School of Milwaukee

On their website for the lawsuit, the Robinsons explained that USM indulged in “repeated use of racial and ethnic stereotypes" during the online classes amid the pandemic. As per their claims, Craig and Kelly Robinson found discrepancies in some assignments. They also said,

“We also witnessed a disregard for children who were not physically present in class and an apparent insensitivity to socio-economic status – an issue that was put in stark relief during the pandemic.”

The couple decided to sue the University School of Milwaukee only after they expelled their sons because of their concerns. The website asserts that the independent preparatory school provided no reasons for their sons’ expulsion. As a result, they had no choice but to legally proceed with the dispute.