Ex-head football coach Mel Tucker sues, says MSU fired him without due process

[RandySF]

A lawsuit filed by fired Michigan State University head football coach Mel Tucker claims school leaders turned him into a casualty of their desperation to protect their jobs and reputations amid scrutiny about the university's poor handling of previous scandals, fueling his termination after a sexual harassment complaint without due process.

The university dismissed Tucker, who was one of the highest paid coaches in sports, in September amid a confidential investigation of a sexual harassment complaint by Brenda Tracy, a rape survivor who works to prevent sexual violence through education of male athletes.

Named in the suit, filed late Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan in Grand Rapids, are MSU, the board of trustees, Athletic Director Alan Haller, former interim President Teresa Woodruff and General Counsel Brian Quinn.

"In short, the individual defendants acted in their own self-interest to avoid the fate oftheir predecessors who were dismissed or forced to resign in the aftermath of the Larry Nassar andthe other scandals involving the university, including its athletics programs," the lawsuit claims, referring to one of the largest college sex abuse scandals involving Nassar, a former MSU doctor, and female athletes.




https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2024/08/01/mel-tucker-sues-msu/74604596007/

[LisaM]

1. There's plenty of blame to go around here.

Among other things, Brenda Tracy has no certification to train on harassment, she just put together a business and crossed plenty of professional lines herself. Mel Tucker acted absurdly, too, but the schools where she spoke should have vetted her better, IMO.