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A Black Ex-High School Track Coach Alleges His Firing Was a Racially-Motivated Act of Retaliation Against Him

A federal suit against the Connecticut high school claims that Lorenzo Milledge's issues with administration began after he was spat on by a student in 2020.

A federal lawsuit filed on behalf of a Black former track coach for a Connecticut high school alleges that his firing was an act of retaliation for telling police that a student spat on him last year.

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The Hartford Courant reports that Lorenzo Milledge believes he was unfairly disciplined by administrators at the majority-white Simsbury High School.ย In the suit, Milledgeโ€™s argued the school was โ€œnot readyโ€ for a Black head coach.

More from the Courant:

The suit contends Milledgeโ€™s problems began in February 2020, when a student โ€œspit on him at a sporting event and poured water on him after spitting in it.โ€

The suit claims the principal and athletic director did not take severe disciplinary action against the student. Milledge complained to police, and said Neil Sullivan, the schoolโ€™s human resources director, became angry at him for doing that.

โ€œPlaintiff believes that Mr. Sullivan retaliated against him for calling the police on the student who engaged in a dangerous, discriminatory, offensive, health-threatening assault,โ€ the suit contends. โ€œHad the situation been reversed, complainant would certainly have been terminated for his actions and criminally charged.โ€

Police on Friday did not say what became of Milledgeโ€™s complaint, but the suit says educators ultimately gave the student in-school suspension.

According to the Courant, the father of a female runner on the schoolโ€™s relay team later accused Milledge of inappropriately touching his daughter. Milledge denies that this happened and alleged that the student and her father were upset that he wouldnโ€™t let her run three back-to-back relays at a championship.

Per the Courant:

Milledge contends the schoolโ€™s athletic director confronted him about the accusation in front of students, and then broadcast a message about the accusation that staff members overheard.

โ€œThis 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,โ€ the suit claims.

The Courant reports that millage was ultimately stripped of his position as head coach of the track team due to the studentโ€™s accusation, but he was still allowed to work at the school as a security guard.

His attorney considers this proof that the schoolโ€™s administration didnโ€™t believe the accusation and was simply looking for a reason to fire him:

โ€œIf 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?,โ€ the suit asks.

Matt Curtis, superintendent of Simsbury Public Schools, told the newspaper that the district tried to resolve the conflict with Milledge with the stateโ€™s Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities.

As you may have noticed by now, that approach didnโ€™t quite pan out.

Straight From The Root

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