UGA cheerleading coach appeals firing

<p>The University of Georgia cheerleading coach who was fired after a Jewish cheerleader accused her of discrimination has been met mostly by support from her team, but former members of the squad asserted the coach crossed the line with her emphasis on her religion.</p><p>Former cheerleaders said coach Marilou Braswell plugged prayer meetings at her house after team practices and once stalled the squad for 45 minutes at a pre-game Christian rally so they could hear her son, Beau, deliver a religious testimonial.</p><p>Braswell was fired for "discourteous and disruptive behavior" when she told the cheerleading squad about the discrimination allegations, according to Braswell's termination letter. Braswell appealed the decision Thursday and expects a response from athletic director Damon Evans early next week.</p><p>The cheerleader, 22-year-old Jaclyn Steele, claimed her chances of making the prestigious football cheerleading squad were hurt because she didn't participate in Bible studies and pregame prayers encouraged by Braswell.</p><p>Mark Needle, who was a UGA mascot from 1999 to 2001, said Braswell repeatedly pushed her religion on squad members, making for some uncomfortable situations.</p><p>"Marilou was probably doing things she didn't know was wrong, but in the end they were offensive," said Needle, who is Jewish.</p><p>His mother, Karen Needle, a 2002 cheerleading booster club president, said Braswell went too far with her emphasis on religion.</p><p>"People just need to keep church and state separate. Period. If you're going to have prayer meetings at your house, don't talk about it at a public cheerleading practice," she said.</p><p>Rob Dinwiddie, a cheerleader from 1997 to 1999, recalled Braswell asking the team to gather at the student center for an important announcement. Once there, a team member preached the importance of finding Jesus.</p><p>"It was really insensitive and it was kind of weird during a practice session," said Dinwiddie, who is Christian. He said Braswell asked later if members who had other beliefs would share them as well.</p><p>Steele was on the football cheering team her freshman year, but then was moved to the men's basketball squad and the women's basketball squad _ seen as a demotion at the football-crazed university.</p><p>The UGA athletic department promoted Steele back to the football squad for this season without having to go through tryouts.</p><p>Braswell has said athletic officials took that action to avoid a possible lawsuit by Steele.</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2004/8/162097