Longtime UT cheer coach on leave amid probe of 'racially and ethnically insensitive remarks'

Erica Breunlin | Knoxville

Show Caption Hide Caption Longtime UT cheer coach on leave amid probe of repeated racial remarks The longtime UT cheer coach was placed on administrative leave Friday, pending a review of complaints of racially and ethnically insensitive remarks.

The longtime cheerleading coach for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville was placed on paid administrative leave Friday, pending a university review of complaints of inappropriate conduct, including “instances of racially and ethnically insensitive remarks made to members of the spirit squad.”

This is the second time Joy M. Postell-Gee, 53, was placed on paid administrative leave. She had returned to her duties on June 8, according to her personnel file, which was released to the USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee following a public records request.

Postell-Gee, whose current annual salary is $46,620, did not respond to a request for an interview with USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee following the review of her personnel file on Monday. In responding to an initial request for an interview in June, she explained in a June 28 email “that such requests must adhere to proper protocol” and that she had forwarded the request “for consideration.”

As head coach and spirit coordinator, she oversees the cheer team, the dance team and the mascot program at UT.

Three part-time employees report to Postell-Gee, including a cheerleading coach, a dance coach and a mascot coach. One graduate assistant for the spirit program and a volunteer coach also report to her.

A June 7 letter to Postell-Gee from her direct supervisor, Janeen Lalik, senior associate athletics director for strategic initiatives, cites both student and parent complaints regarding the coach’s management of UT spirit programs stemming back to incidents in 2016 and continuing through this spring.

"We have investigated these concerns and asked for your perspective on them as well. Taking into account further information related to these concerns, as well as your own commitment to adhering to the terms of your Final Written Warning dated January 29, 2018, you will be returned from paid administrative leave and return to your position of Spirit Coordinator effective June 8, 2018," Lalik's letter said.

UT: 'Your behaviors demonstrate a continuing pattern of racial/ethnic insensitivity'

The January final written warning detailed a Nov. 28, 2017 incident in which a faculty member disclosed to the Athletics Department and Office of Equity and Diversity that a spirit squad member had said Postell-Gee had often made demeaning and insensitive remarks toward multiple spirit squad members. The warning also referenced a Jan. 8 email from a spirit squad member who stated Postell-Gee “makes demeaning and insensitive comments and remarks directed to members of the spirit squad on a frequent basis.”

“Your behaviors demonstrate a continuing pattern of racial/ethnic insensitivity and mistreatment of Spirit Squad members,” the warning, signed by Associate Athletics Director Tyler Johnson, noted.

In May, Postell-Gee was invited to a hearing on the charges. A May 18 letter from Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director Reid Sigmon to Postell-Gee said, in part, “the university has reason to believe grounds exist to terminate your employment at the University of Tennessee for unsatisfactory work-related behavior.”

In a Feb. 1 letter from Postell-Gee to Johnson, she wrote that she is 'in total agreement that this is beyond a serious matter and deserves my immediate attention."

She added, "I'm earnestly seeking your guidance and expertise as to what constitutes being verbally and mentally harassed, demeaning and insensitive comments, and mistreatment."

Further, she wrote: "In regards to the new allegations, I do find them dissimilar to the previous ones. I'm most concerned and honestly disturbed that the new allegations have apparently been accepted at face value without any response or factual inquiry being made or allowed by me as a very dedicated and loyal employee of 25 years."

Tennessee Vols cheerleaders lead "We are UT" cheer Tennessee Vols cheerleaders lead "We are UT" cheer before the home opener against Indiana State on Sept 9.

It's unclear whether a May hearing was held, as Tom Satkowiak, assistant athletic director for media relations, refused to say or provide any other details including whether there were additional incidents that caused her to be put back on administrative leave on June 29.

It's also unclear whether a new hearing will be held as the university reviews the complaint. A time frame for the university's review is also uncertain.

"We are not in a position to comment on pending personnel matters," said Satkowiak.

He also said Athletic Director Phillip Fulmer would not have a comment.

A request for an interview with Interim Chancellor Wayne Davis was denied. Karen Dunlap, with media relations, said Davis will not comment on a pending personnel matter.

Remarks caused 'some discomfort on the team'

Among the specific complaints filed against Postell-Gee was an incident during the 2015-16 season, when a spirit squad member fell and cut the bridge of his nose while working on tumbling.

Postell-Gee allegedly saw his nose bleeding and made a racially insensitive remark, to which the team member replied, “That is the wrong culture.” Postell-Gee then apologized, according to a Feb. 24, 2017 letter to Senior Associate Athletic Director Donna Thomas from Jennifer Richter, associate vice chancellor and director and Title IX coordinator of the Office of Equity and Diversity. The exact remark made was redacted from the documents released to USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee.

In another complaint from the same season, witnesses said Postell-Gee had called a spirit squad member a derogatory nickname, though the specifics of that nickname also were redacted in the Feb. 24, 2017 letter released to USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee. The individual never discussed the nickname with Postell-Gee but quit the team because of a busy schedule, according to witnesses.

On a separate occasion, two individuals referenced the coach calling a female teammate a negative name several times. The alleged victim apparently never broached the subject of the name with Postell-Gee because she had a quiet demeanor and “went with the flow,” the letter stated.

The effects of Postell-Gee’s derogatory language rippled outward and “appears to have caused some discomfort on the team,” the letter continued. “Members interviewed who witnessed such comments expressed their disbelief to each other that Ms. Postell would make such comments, although they never confronted her about it.”

One member in particular, who was not the subject of any of Postell-Gee’s remarks, said her comments to others "made him feel inferior” and made him fear he'd make a wrong move.

The letter also pointed out that even as some team members quit, no team member interviewed knew of anyone who gave up the team due to Postell-Gee’s alleged comments.

Support, praise from alumni

In general, Postell-Gee was regarded favorably by spirit squad members interviewed by the Office of Equity and Diversity and most were sincere in believing that she “harbored no negative intent” in her derogatory comments, the letter from Richter stated, adding that members suggested their coach at times speaks before thinking.

No spirit squad members interviewed said Postell-Gee was discriminatory in managing the team or in selecting team members, according to the letter.

The majority of Postell-Gee’s performance reviews in her approximately 25 years at UT were positive, although in 2016 being “sensitive to diversity” was listed as a goal for her in her evaluation.

Some alumni of the spirit squad spoke highly of their former coach.

Dipal Chaudhari, who graduated from UT in 2007, worked under Postell-Gee for two years as a handler for UT's live animal mascot, Smokey the dog.

Chaudhari, who was born in India and raised in East Tennessee, said he was shocked by the accusations. He said he never thought he'd be hired as a handler because he was different from others on the team, but Postell-Gee selected him.

He said he never witnessed her make any racially insensitive comments.

"If anything, she's like a second mom to me," he said, adding he thought the same was true for other minority spirit team members.

Benji Gray, who was a mascot at UT from 2000 to 2005 and who worked with summer camps run through the University Cheerleading Association until 2015, never experienced Postell-Gee making a racially insensitive comment or verbally harassing any students.

Many of the cheer team’s participants were branded with nicknames like “peanut” or “Benjo,” he said, but the nicknames weren’t intended with a negative or derogatory connotation.

Gray said he has a hard time finding legitimacy behind the accusations made against Postell-Gee, someone he described as compassionate and never discriminatory.

“This is a lady whose foundation for her program is based on compassion and caring and giving your all to Tennessee,” he said, adding it was "heartbreaking” to hear the accusations.

Adam DeVault, who was both an undergraduate and graduate student at UT and wrapped up his final year in 2000, served the school as a mascot for four-and-a-half years.

DeVault, who also characterized Postell-Gee as a “college mother” to many students, never knew his coach to be racist or sexist in any capacity.

“She’s an old-school Southern gal who jokes and has fun,” he said, “and I don’t know if somebody took that the wrong way.”