Coach’s Sports Lawsuit Survives
Gender discrimination lawsuits, especially by coaches, are typically brought by females. However, as a Pennsylvania trial court ruled recently, male coaches can bring sex discrimination lawsuits as well.
Former Lock Haven University swim coach George Garlick filed a sex discrimination lawsuit, alleging a hostile workplace environment which led to his dismissal in 2005. According to this article, Garlick was a successful coach who turned around the men’s and women’s teams from perennial cellar-dwellers to top-ranked programs.
It is also interesting to note that Lock Haven has faced six sports lawsuits against the university and/or athletic director over the past several years. In a seventh lawsuit, the athletic director herself, has sued certain parties. While Garlick alleges that the athletic director and university prefer female coaches, the former field hockey coach settled for $200,000 to dismiss her lawsuit contending that females were paid less than males.
When the trial court denied summary judgment for the defendants, it signified that the case is headed for trial later this year. While Garlick still has a long way to go to prove his sex discrimination case, the lawsuit should serve as a reminder that men, in addition to women, have the right to redress their grievances in court if they feel they have been discriminated against.
