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September 5, 2012

Parties settle in UCO debate lawsuit

Mark Schlachtenhaufen The Edmond Sun

EDMOND — A lawsuit involving a former University of Central Oklahoma debate coach and former debate team members has ended with a settlement, court records show.

The plaintiffs’ action was for alleged sex discrimination, harassment and retaliation in employment in violation of the Fourth, Ninth and 14th Amendments, according to the amended complaint filed in December 2010 in Oklahoma County District Court. The Civil Rights Act of 1991 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and state laws also applied.

Jeff Roberts, Halli Tripe-Roberts, Andrew Casey, Tia Robertson, Stacy Spomer, Michael Ely, Ian Lee, Christopher Spurlock, Mike Stroud, Scott Koslow, Jeremiah Worrell and Dustin Sheargold, students and employed members of the UCO debate team, were listed as the plaintiffs.

Defendants named in the lawsuit were the State Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges, the university, UCO College of Liberal Arts dean Pamela Washington, and former debate coach Eric Marlow.

When The Edmond Sun sought comment, an employee at the office of Richard Mann, attorney for Marlow, said one of the conditions of the settlement was the parties are not allowed to talk about the outcome.

UCO spokeswoman Adrienne Nobles said since the settlement included a non-disclosure agreement no further details are available.

Ramona Wolf, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said, “The matter has been resolved.”

The plaintiffs claimed they suffered injury to their reputation, damage to their grade point average, lack of admission to graduate programs, damage to future career opportunities and future earnings and mental anguish, according to the amended complaint.

Roberts, an assistant debate coach, was abruptly terminated on or about May 12, 2010, according to the amended complaint. Casey, an assistant debate coach, was “constructively terminated” on or about May 6, 2010. Tripe-Roberts, who assisted with coaching and judging, was terminated on or about March 2, 2010.

The plaintiffs claimed that Robertson suffered quid pro quo sexual harassment, and when the plaintiffs complained about Marlow’s conduct, the ensuing hostile work environment included wrongful terminations, according to court records.

The debate coach controlled scholarship money related to the students’ access to higher education, determined debate partners and determined who went to tournaments, which affected a debater’s ranking in the national debate community, according to the amended complaint.

In his answer filed in court Mann stated that “the prosecution of this action by Plaintiffs is frivolous, malicious and an abuse of civil process by pursuing claims that they know are false or otherwise are presented in the court in a misleading manner.”

Mann stated the plaintiffs caused or contributed to their own injuries and damages to the extent that it superseded any liability of his client. He stated that all actions taken “were within the scope of his employment and were in good faith.”

Mann argued that none of the plaintiffs were employed by the debate coach.

On Aug. 25, mediator Steven Barghols facilitated a 10.5-hour session during which the case was settled, according to court records. Terms of the agreement were not available. The plaintiffs sought a jury trial, actual and compensatory damages, exemplary damages and associated costs.

In a previous Edmond Sun report, Jacque Pearsall, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, said her firm did 50 hours’ worth of interviews with the plaintiffs before taking on the case. The allegations were eye-opening, she said.

Pearsall said the plaintiffs didn’t want to destroy the former debate coach’s reputation. They wanted to create a dialogue that would lead to a safer, better environment in the UCO debate community, she said.

On its website, UCO states that it is home to a nationally competitive debate program. It travels students to about 15 tournaments throughout the school year including: Kentucky, Wake Forest, University of North Texas, Texas and Texas-Dallas. UCO’s team also hosts a college debate tournament, a high school workshop, a high school debate tournament and a series of public debates throughout the year.



marks@edmondsun.com | 341-2121, ext. 108

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