LSU facing Title IX lawsuit from multiple women claiming sexual discrimination, assault

A group of former and current female students have filed a Title IX lawsuit against Louisiana State University (LSU) over sexual discrimination and assault, The Advocate reported on Monday.

The suit names as defendants the university itself as well as former athletic directors, team head coaches, presidents and various other staff members, alleging that LSU has “repeatedly engaged in discriminatory, retaliatory, and other unlawful actions” when students tried to report sexual assault, violating Title IX and the university’s own policies. 

“This speaks volumes about the priorities of LSU’s administration and the Board of Supervisors,” Karen Truszkowski, an attorney representing the woman in the case, said in a statement to The Advocate. “The priority is not deterrence and compliance. The priority is football. Period.”

Truszkowski called for increased attention on “the young people who were hurt, damaged, ignored and at times ridiculed.”

LSU’s vice president of strategic communications Jim Sabourin reportedly said on Monday that the school has just learned of the new lawsuit and hasn’t yet reviewed it. 

LSU has faced multiple sexual assault and misconduct allegations this past year, including against former head football coach Les Miles, who stepped down from his head coaching position at the University of Kansas after a series of sexual misconduct allegations against him were found in an internal LSU report last month. 

The school on Friday banned from campus and also stripped records from former running back Derrius Guice, who is facing sexual assault allegations as well, The Advocate reported.