53°
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
7 Day Forecast
Follow our weather team on social media

LSU Athletics exec who filed $50 million Title IX lawsuit has been fired, attorney says

2 years 1 month 3 weeks ago Tuesday, January 25 2022 Jan 25, 2022 January 25, 2022 5:50 PM January 25, 2022 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE - Sharon Lewis, an LSU Athletics executive who made headlines last year when she sued the university over how it allegedly covered up Title IX complaints, is no longer employed by the school.

Lewis' attorney released a statement Tuesday confirming her termination from the athletics department.

Read the full statement below.

"The wrongful termination of Sharon Lewis by LSU is a continuation of the retaliation she has endured for reporting violations of Title IX and State Law by LSU coaches and athletic officials. LSU’s action is a clear violation of Title IX, Louisiana Whistleblower Statute and EEOC guidelines that protect employees against retaliation for reporting violations of federal and state law. On January 5, 2022, LSU’s Athletic Director Scott Woodward, who is a named defendant in Ms Lewis’ petition for damages in federal state court, terminated Ms Lewis without cause. Ms Lewis’ wrongful termination by Woodward and the LSU administration will not deter or silence her from speaking out on behalf of victims of the university’s deplorable behavior which puts students and employees at risk.

The Husch Blackwell Report documented Ms Lewis’ bravery in reporting sexual misconduct within LSU’s Athletic Department. Husch Blackwell also documented that Verge Ausberry and Miriam Segar willfully violated Title IX and lied about their conduct. Segar and Ausberry remain employed at LSU under the protection of Woodward, while Ms Lewis has been terminated without cause. There can be no clearer statement of the values of Scott Woodward and LSU’s Board Of Supervisors."

Lewis, formerly LSU's Associate Athletic Director of Football Recruiting and Alumni Relations, filed a $50 million lawsuit against the school last year alleging she was harassed and retaliated against in 2013 for trying to report inappropriate conduct from then-head coach Les Miles. Attorneys representing Lewis said a law firm, identified in the suit as Taylor Porter, was hired to help cover up the misconduct. 

Michael Bonnette, spokesperson for LSU Athletics, has not responded to emails from the WBRZ Investigative Unit throughout the month of January concerning Lewis' status at the school. 

More News

Desktop News

Click to open Continuous News in a sidebar that updates in real-time.
Radar
7 Days