Fired UGA cheerleading coach: "This is God's battle"

<p>Former University of Georgia cheerleading coach Marilou Braswell said she's fighting what she calls "God's battle."</p><p>Braswell, a 12-year cheerleading coach at UGA, was fired in August after a Jewish cheerleader claimed the coach had discriminated against her because of her religion. Braswell then sued UGA Board of Regents, UGA President Michael Adams and athletic director Damon Evans. No trial date has been set.</p><p>Braswell compared her legal fight against the school's athletic department to David's biblical battle with Goliath.</p><p>"This is God's battle," she told the Athens chapter of Full Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship International, a group that invited her to speak and appeared to support her case. "This situation is my giant."</p><p>Prior to her firing, Braswell was put on probation after senior Jaclyn Steele accused her of discrimination. Steele and another Jewish cheerleader first complained that the coach gave unfavorable treatment to non-Christian cheerleaders and others who did not participate in pregame prayers and Bible studies at Braswell's home.</p><p>Under the probation, Braswell was told her husband would either have to stop hosting a long-standing Bible study at their home or move it to another location.</p><p>Braswell told the group that she had been instructed to eliminate all religious overtones from her program. That included any Bible studies, any mention of prayer on the team e-mail group and any use of the names of religious figures that might offend members of other faiths.</p><p>After an investigation, the university ordered Steele to be placed on the squad without a tryout.</p><p>Braswell was fired after she read a prepared statement to the team explaining that it was not her decision to add Steele to the squad and that everyone should treat the cheerleader fairly. UGA officials said the statement amounted to retaliation against Steele.</p><p>"I want all Christian coaches on campus to know what they're supposed to do," Braswell said, explaining that she supports football coach Mark Richt's optional Christian activities for players but doesn't understand why those activities would be acceptable if her actions were not.</p><p>Attorneys for the athletic association and the university previously have argued that Braswell's case is different because a team member charged Braswell with discrimination.</p><p>The former cheerleading coach said Monday she knew in her heart she did nothing wrong and that she "did nothing but love" all the cheerleaders, regardless of their religion.</p><p>Braswell said she sent Evans an e-mail copy of the statement but a letter from Evans asserts that neither Evans nor senior associate athletic director Frank Crumley received a copy.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x28666e4)</p>

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