Former Northwestern Cheerleader Voluntarily Drops Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against University
A former Northwestern University cheerleader, Hayden Richardson, has decided to drop her federal sexual harassment lawsuit against the institution. Richardson initiated legal action in the Northern District of Illinois back in January 2021, accusing some fans and alumni of groping her during university-sponsored events in 2018 and 2019. In a surprising turn of events, court documents revealed that Richardson agreed to withdraw her lawsuit this past Monday, with Judge Edward Chang ratifying the decision the following day.
While the online court records do not shed light on her reasons for retracting the lawsuit, neither Richardson's attorney, Andrew Miltenberg, nor Northwestern's attorney, Alan Pittler, have opted to comment on the matter, according to a report by the Chicago Tribune. In her lawsuit, Richardson alleged that the then-cheer team coach Pam Bonnevier required female cheerleaders to interact with powerful donors, a strategy aimed at boosting donations for the university. She disclosed that during these interactions older individuals would touch her inappropriately, lift her without consent, make sexualized comments about her physique, and offer her alcohol even though she was underage.
Former Athletic Director Mike Polisky was named in the complaint as well. Polisky, however, stepped down from his position in May 2021 after a mere week on the job, citing "current challenges" that would prevent him from leading effectively and expressing his desire not to become a focal point of distraction.
Richardson's allegations painted a disturbing picture of cheerleading at Northwestern, where the job was purportedly portrayed as being sex objects to satisfy wealthy donors. In a statement obtained by CBS News, she claimed to have reported the incidents to the coach and the associate athletic director and when asked for proof, she apparently collected statements from teammates corroborating her allegations. However, she stated she was accused of fabricating this evidence. Her complaint, which spanned a detailed 58 pages, mentioned that, "[t]heir positions on the team were conditioned on pleasing and being groped by wealthy older men and intoxicated fans for the purpose of encouraging donations to the University and supporting Northwestern Football."
Northwestern University responded to the dismissal of the lawsuit with a formal statement: "Since Hayden Richardson's lawsuit was filed over three years ago, Northwestern has steadfastly maintained that her claims should be dismissed. She has now voluntarily dismissed her lawsuit against all defendants. The University is committed to fostering an environment in which all members of our community are safe, secure and free from discrimination or harassment in any form," reaffirming their stance on the issue.
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