Black ex-coach alleges racial bias led to firing from Connecticut high school

A Black man who was fired from his coaching job at a Connecticut high school alleges racial bias led administrators to take unfair disciplinary measures after he was accused of inappropriately touching a female student-athlete on the school’s relay team.

First reported by the Hartford Courant, ex-coach Lorenzo Milledge claims Simsbury High School administrators used the allegation made in February 2020 by the student’s father as an excuse to punish Milledge. The allegation came after he reported to police that a student spat on him during a sporting event earlier that month.

Per the Courant, Milledge contends in a federal lawsuit that the assault accusation was “baseless.� The former track coach claimed that the student and her father were retaliating against Milledge for not allowing her to compete in three back-to-back races during a championship meet.

The suit also suggests school administrators never believed the allegation in the first place, as they allowed Milledge to retain his position as a security guard at the school despite stripping him of his duties as head coach of the track team.

“If plaintiff was such a danger to children, why was he allowed to remain in the position as security guard where he comes into contact with these same children?� the suit argues, according to the Courant.

In the suit, Milledge also alleges he suffered a heart attack after things became heated during a meeting with administrators. 

In March, according to the suit, Simsbury High School’s principal “suggested to plaintiff in the March 4 meeting that maybe he should go back to Hartford High, a predominantly Black and Latino high school. This was the equivalent of telling someone Black to go back to Africa.â€� 

Because the case is still pending, Simsbury High School’s legal representative Alexandria Voccio did not provide a comment when asked by staff at the Courant.

Civil rights attorney and Hartford councilmember Cynthia Jennings, who is representing Milledge, alleges in the suit that the ex-coach’s race plays a larger role in the school’s decision than administrators are willing to admit, according to the Courant.

Jennings claims in the suit that the high school, whose student population is 77% white, “was ‘not ready’ for a Black head coach,� the Courant reported.

Milledge and the school have reportedly disputed the matter for more than a year through the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO). Both sides have been unable to reach an agreement, according to a statement Superintendent Matt Curtis sent to the Courant on Friday.

“Unfortunately we were unable to resolve this situation through the CHRO process over the course of the last year and a half, and as a result we are involved in pending litigation,� Curtis wrote, per the Courant. “Due to the fact this is a personnel matter the district is not able to comment publicly.�

In the suit, Milledge argues the school’s human resources director, Neil Sullivan, became angry at the former coach for calling the police with reports that a student “spit on him at a sporting event and poured water on him after spitting in it.�

“Plaintiff believes that Mr. Sullivan retaliated against him for calling the police on the student who engaged in a dangerous, discriminatory, offensive, health-threatening assault,� the suit reads. “Had the situation been reversed, complainant would certainly have been terminated for his actions and criminally charged.�

The suit claims the school did not adequately discipline the student and after Milledge complained to authorities he was confronted in front of students by the athletic director. A message about the allegation was also allegedly broadcast and heard by staff members, the Courant reported.

“This overt humiliation and attempt to stereotype plaintiff started because he would not allow a student to spit on him and disrespect him in front of hundreds of other students,� according to the suit.

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