BAYTOWN, Texas - A local college volleyball coach is suing her school for gender discrimination, saying she was paid less for doing the same amount of work as a male coach.
According to a lawsuit filed in Harris County on January 26, Tracie Johnson has been the head women’s volleyball coach at Lee College in Baytown for the last 29 years and is the coach with the most volleyball wins at the community college level.
Johnson says she’s being paid significantly less than the men’s basketball coach, “up to an estimated $25,000 (per annum).”
The lawsuit claims the men's basketball coach has a career-losing record and teaches fewer courses with fewer academic credentials.
Johnson also claims the women’s volleyball team is given fewer resources than the men’s basketball team.
Her lawyer, Gregg Rosenberg, says repeated attempts to address these issues with the administration have gone nowhere.
“All I see is effort upon effort upon effort,” said Rosenberg. “You talk about the glass ceiling? This is a glass door slamming her right in the face many, many times.”
Attorneys for Lee College declined an on-camera interview. However, attorneys sent KHOU 11 the following statement Thursday afternoon:
“Tracie Johnson is a current Lee College employee. It is the policy of the College not to comment on personnel matters. Lee College takes seriously all allegations of unfair and unequal treatment. This issue has been thoroughly investigated and the college believes that it has taken all necessary actions with respect to this matter and will defend itself against this lawsuit.”