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The Ohio State University is facing a federal lawsuit from former assistant cheerleading coach Siobhan St. John, who alleges she was wrongfully terminated after advocating for greater diversity in the school’s athletic department.

St. John’s complaint, filed Friday, accuses OSU of racial, gender, and religious discrimination in violation of Title VII and Ohio state law. She claims the university’s leadership undermined her job responsibilities, retaliated against her, and ultimately fired her because of her outspoken criticism regarding the lack of Black women in senior athletic positions.

A Decade of Advocacy Turns Into Alleged Retaliation

During her 10-year tenure at OSU, St. John became known for her strong advocacy for Black women’s advancement within the university. She was an active member of the Buckeye Inclusion Committee, served as OSU’s athletics diversity and inclusion designee, and received awards for her efforts in pushing for greater representation.

But according to her lawsuit, her outspoken stance on the scarcity of Black women in leadership within the athletics department put a target on her back. Of OSU’s 38 varsity head coaches, St. John noted that only two were Black—both men.

Passed Over, Undermined, and Harassed

The lawsuit claims that OSU’s sports administrator bypassed St. John for a spirit program coordinator position, awarding it instead to a less qualified white candidate. Following this, St. John alleges, her job responsibilities were gradually stripped away and handed to her white counterpart, diminishing her role within the department.

Her direct supervisor, the head cheerleading coach, also allegedly displayed racial and gender bias. According to St. John, he favored white cheerleaders during team formations, allegedly declaring that blonde cheerleaders should be placed at the front, while brunettes were relegated to the sides. When St. John questioned whether this approach discriminated against Black cheerleaders, the head coach allegedly responded aggressively, saying: "Show me where I can’t say that."

Retaliation Escalates

The alleged hostility didn’t stop there. St. John claims the head coach retaliated in petty but humiliating ways—including throwing her keys on the floor after borrowing them and excluding her from emails and key decisions while she was away. She also alleges he criticized her for attending church on Sundays, despite the fact that practices were not normally scheduled on those days.

After she filed a complaint against the head coach with human resources, St. John says retaliation intensified. The sports administrator allegedly placed her on a performance improvement plan containing false allegations, which she contends was simply a cover-up for an eventual firing.

Termination Disguised as "Budget Cuts"

In April, St. John filed two additional complaints alleging discrimination and retaliation. Upon returning from a leave of absence, she says the hostility from the head coach continued, with him ignoring her presence at team meetings and publicly contradicting her instructions to athletes.

Then, on June 20, St. John was informed that her position was being eliminated due to budget cuts—a move she argues was a pretext for firing her. Notably, her lawsuit claims that she was the only staff member affected by this so-called "reduction in force."

Legal Battle Begins

OSU has declined to comment on the lawsuit, and counsel for St. John has not immediately responded to requests for statements.

St. John is being represented by Elizabeth Elaine Deemer of The Levicoff Law Firm, while OSU’s legal representation has yet to be disclosed.

As the lawsuit unfolds, St. John’s case could shine a national spotlight on the ongoing challenges of diversity, equity, and inclusion in collegiate athletics—raising questions about whether advocating for change in sports can come at a personal cost.