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Baylor Football: School trying to worm out of Title IX violations

By Shannon Sickmon

Dec 27, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Baylor Bears cornerback Tion Wright (3), linebacker Taylor Young (1) and safety Orion Stewart (28) enter the field for the game against the Boise State Broncos during the Cactus Bowl at Chase Field. Baylor defeated Boise State 31-12. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 27, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Baylor Bears cornerback Tion Wright (3), linebacker Taylor Young (1) and safety Orion Stewart (28) enter the field for the game against the Boise State Broncos during the Cactus Bowl at Chase Field. Baylor defeated Boise State 31-12. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Baylor Football, and the university as a whole, has been in the news for the past few months regarding some ugly allegations. The school is now trying to have the lawsuit dismissed.

In January, a plaintiff, identified only as Elizabeth Doe, served Baylor with a lawsuit, stating that the university fostered a rape culture, allowing 52 acts of rape by 31 different football players from 2011 to 2014. Doe further states that former Baylor football players Tre’Von Armstead and Shamycheal Chatman gang-raped her after a party on April 18, 2013. Doe says the school did not assist her in any way after the incident and tried to bribe her with a free education if she signed a non-disclosure agreement.

The lawsuit also alleges that the Baylor Bruins, the school’s hostess program for new recruits, encouraged the girls to have sex with the recruits in an effort to secure commitments from the players. The lawsuit also names specific staff members in a number of smarmy allegations, with everything from securing drugs to buying strippers for the recruits’ entertainment.

In an interesting note, Baylor is not outright denying the charges. Instead, the school is seeking to have the charges dismissed on some pretty ridiculous grounds. First, they are fighting the “widespread culture” assertions.

In a statement to The Waco Tribune, school officials claim, “Baylor does not agree with or concede the accuracy of plaintiff’s 146-paragraph complaint and its immaterial and inflammatory assertions.”

The charge of widespread culture seems to be more distressing to the school than the rape charges, which is disturbing in itself. Regardless, Baylor officials vehemently deny this charge because they don’t feel that the school acted with “deliberate indifference”.

The school is also refuting the sexual assault charges on the grounds that the allegations are in violation of the two-year statute of limitations. Lawyers for the university also claim that universities don’t have a legal obligation to protect students from other students. So what is the duty of the university, pray tell?

Related Story: Michigan player questioned in domestic assault case

I’m sure the school will try impugning the girl’s reputation next, or dragging the case out long enough that the girl will eventually drop it. We’ll see how it all plays out in upcoming months.

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