At a time when Northwestern faces potential litigation from fired football coach Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern is facing actual litigation from at least one — and apparently more — of the players who allegedly endured hazing in Fitzgerald’s program.
Via NBCChicago.com, a former Northwestern football player has filed suit under the John Doe pseudonym. The complaint contends that Fitzgerald, Northwestern University President Michael Schill, the board of trustees, and athletic director Derrick Gragg “enabled and concealed sexual misconduct and racial discrimination.”
“It’s disgusting that this conduct is continuing into 2022,” attorney Parker Stinar said. “We fully intend to hold those that were involved, that knew, that enabled, and hold the university accountable as well.”
Stinar also believes that Fitzgerald had actual knowledge of the alleged misconduct.
“Based on the allegations that we’ve seen and the reports we’ve seen, [Fitzgerald] knew and approved of the sexual harassment, sexual discrimination, hazing and racial discrimination,” Stinar said. “He was aware of it. It was happening under his roof. He knew what was going on and he permitted it for years upon years upon years.”
The school initially suspended Fitzgerald for two weeks. Following reports from the Daily Northwestern and other publications regarding sexualized hazing and a racially-hostile environment within the football program, Northwestern fired Fitzgerald. His attorney has argued that the firing breaches Fitzgerald’s contract and damages his reputation.
Separately, attorneys Ben Crump and Steven Levin have announced that they will be representing players in claims against the school. They have scheduled a press conference for Wednesday.
“These former Northwestern football players are participating in this legal action because they want to support and validate the allegations of abuse made by the two players who spoke to the Daily Northwestern about the true nature of the so-called hazing,” Levin said in a recent press release. “They believe that more stringent oversight and accountability are required in college athletics to prevent such abuses from happening to other players in the future. The physical, emotional and sexual abuse not only violated Northwestern’s own policies, but also numerous laws, and worse, has led to irreparable harm, with some players even experiencing suicidal thoughts.”
Crump and Levin also claim that that have “uncovered a vast array of incidents of abuse in the Northwestern football program,” and that they “expect to expand” the probe “beyond this program.”
“Sadly, our research suggests that this kind of abuse of student athletes may be far more common on college campuses than we know, because there is tremendous pressure to keep quiet,” Crump said. “It’s time for a reckoning to protect young athletes.”
Indeed it is. If it happened at Northwestern, there’s a real chance it happened in at least one of the many other major college football programs. Maybe more. Maybe many more.
Here’s hoping it is brought to light, wherever it occurred.
