Iowa football settles race bias lawsuit using taxpayer money
A.P. / 3-6-23
Iowa taxpayers will pay $2 million to help the University of Iowa athletic department settle a lawsuit brought by former football players who allege racial discrimination existed in coach Kirk Ferentz's program, a state board decided in a vote Monday.
The state's Appeal Board voted 2-1 to approve the use of taxpayer funds for half of the $4.175 million settlement over the objection of State Auditor Rob Sand, a board member who said athletic director Gary Barta should be fired for a series of lawsuits ending in settlements under his watch.
“I can’t imagine a private company that would still have someone at the helm after four discrimination lawsuits under that person’s leadership,” Sand said at a news conference before the vote. "The athletic department, they’ve got the funds for it. The broadcast deal brings tens of millions of dollars every year going forward. I don’t know why they can’t cover their own mistakes and pay for their own mistakes instead of having taxpayer’s do it.”
The lawsuit filed in November 2020 involved former players including former star running back Akrum Wadley and career receptions leader Kevonte Martin-Manley. They alleged they were demeaned with racial slurs, forced to abandon Black hairstyles, fashion and culture to fit the “Iowa Way” promoted by Ferentz, and retaliated against for speaking out.
MORE: https://sports.yahoo.com/iowa-football-settles-race-bias-044807745.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABO_H0S7rT6-GqvDRrJoVdoGzBanRwSfG85nNXyBMO9E-yXc6s4wRLiqljQEa59-BrTc8TmkWix7x5xrFnh_9yTGVrK2Pv3m1IQwhMTXy67_QAU0VQ6BwSX7Y11mUUd9oMQn79NmhvBRh60rc9bUeBITvHxNCY1P_KAt0Kk2Iidg#:~:text=Iowa%20taxpayers%20will%20pay%20%242,decided%20in%20a%20vote%20Monday.
Taxpayer money ... wow