Cottey College hit with discrimination suit

Saturday, July 30, 2016

Nevada Daily Mail

Cottey College was hit Tuesday with a federal lawsuit by three black female basketball players who played for the team in the fall of 2015, alleging they were discriminated against based on their race.

According to an Associated Press story dated July 28, the three women "alleged in (the) lawsuit that (Cottey College) treated them differently than white students before expelling them without justification."

According to the AP story, the former Cottey Comet basketball players ---- "Breauna Carter, Amalia Harris and Dajanae Wilson, all of Kansas City, filed the lawsuit July 26 against Cottey College."

The AP story continues, Cottey "offered them all athletic and academic scholarships for the 2015-16 school year. The lawsuit contends the school violated the women's civil rights by creating a racially hostile environment, selectively enforcing its policies and procedures, and retaliating against them for complaining."

Attempts made by the Nevada Daily Mail to reach Cottey officials for comment Friday night, were not successful as of press time.

Also according to the AP story, "The women allege that during the 2015-16 basketball season, Stephanie Beason, athletic director and women's basketball coach, treated them differently than the white players. Beason also punished them more severely than white players, ridiculed them and did not give them equal playing time."

The AP story further stated that "Beason often divided the team into black and white players during practice. But she wouldn't play many of the black players at the same time during games, even though seven of the 13 players were black, according to the lawsuit."

The AP story continued, "(The School) expelled the three students after one semester, saying they had 'repeatedly engaged in behavior that has been disruptive and intimidating, and that has created an unreasonable risk or danger to the safety of other students.' No one at the school ever presented any evidence to back up that complaint, according to the lawsuit."

Additionally, the AP story stated, "The school violated its own policies and procedures throughout the semester by offering the players no chance to appeal or contest the decision, according to the lawsuit.

"After their expulsions, the college withheld the women's transcripts, making it impossible for them to enroll in another school the next semester. The women are now trying to enroll at other institutions for this fall, according to their attorney, Daniel Zmijewski."

Further, the AP story said, "Cottey officials did not immediately respond Thursday to a phone call and email seeking comment."

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Shame on Cottey College! Having grown up in your community, I recall Cottey as a stronghold for lilly white cheerleader types and the citizens of the community as racist and proud of it; intolerant of anyone who was not white and born and raised there. After a recent return trip, it was very apparent that not much other than the demise of some buildings had changed. Good for these women of color! I hope Cottey has the decency to release their transcripts so they can move on with their education in a more diverse community.

-- Posted by Harry Callahan on Sat, Jul 30, 2016, at 5:59 PM
Be careful to judge too quickly without all the facts. If you notice, this article is only one side of the story. The students have made allegations based on their perceptions. Cottey, or any other school, would not expel a student on a whim.

Cottey is an extremely diverse and welcoming school. If you haven't visited there in recent years, you will see your perceptions of "lilly-white cheerleader types" is just not so.

-- Posted by jeffandkris on Mon, Aug 1, 2016, at 4:17 PM
Looking at the demographics for Nevada, Mo online, 99+% would indicate that it is a bastion of Caucasians. Teaching staff would have to be part of that population.

-- Posted by Harry Callahan on Wed, Aug 3, 2016, at 3:49 PM

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