MEDWAY — A former high school cheer coach alleges a double standard at Medway Public Schools in a discrimination complaint filed last week with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination .
Kayla Ober, a former cheer coach at Medway High School, has filed a discrimination complaint against Medway Public Schools. In it, she alleges a double standard between male coaches and female coaches when it comes to their dealings with players.
The complaint lists Superintendent of Schools Armand Pires ; Medway High School Principal John Murray ; and Athletic Director Jeff Parcells as defendants.
In a statement to the Daily News, Pires wrote that the school district is aware of the complaint but cannot comment on an ongoing legal matter. He said the district is cooperating fully with the MCAD.
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According to the complaint, a copy of which was provided to the Daily News, Ober alleges Medway Public Schools engaged in discriminatory conduct on the basis of gender; failed to allow her to be free of discrimination; and retaliated against her for complaining about discrimination in the workplace.
Ober's attorney, Matthew Fogelman of Newton-based Fogelman Law , could not be reached for comment. Fogelman is also representing former Wayland Superintendent of Schools Omar Easy in his discrimination complaint against that town .
Ober began coaching at Medway High in 2022. She was fired in April after being placed on leave during an investigation.
Discrimination charge stems from cheer competition
The complaint stems from action at the Tri-Valley League Championship earlier this year, where the Mustangs placed second.
The lawsuit states that at this competition, the cheer team had "one of its worst performances," according to the complaint. "The group was not focused, lacked energy and failed to give any performative facial expressions."
Nevertheless, the team was set to go to the state championship in early March.
The week before the championships, Ober was called into a meeting with Parcells and Murray over concerns she was "bullying" a member of the team. According to the claim, Ober was suspended while the school investigated, but was not allowed to provide her side of the story — something she alleges male coaches in similar situations are afforded.
Later, during a March 15 meeting regarding the investigation, Murray called Ober the "Medway cheerleading god." But Ober was fired the following month.
The complaint goes on to list examples of male coaches, identified only by their initials, as engaging in worse behavior toward players than did Ober but did not face the same consequences. These include:
- A coach who allegedly pulled a player off the bus and began swearing at the player. The behavior was reported to Parcells, but the coach was allegedly not reprimanded.
- Medway High administrators allegedly "quietly" asked the coach of a junior varsity team to step down after reports of hazing problems, and he was allowed to coach one more game. The complaint alleges the coach was never placed on leave and not investigated.
- In 2023, a coach was hired despite an alleged record of terminations and forced resignations at other schools. While at Medway, the coach allegedly called students "brainless" and made derogatory statements. After the coach resigned, Murray allegedly said the coach did not deserve what happened to him.
- Earlier this year, a male coach allegedly "pushed" a female player, "grabbed her by the shoulder and yelled directly in her face." The coach was allegedly not investigated and was allowed to attend an end-of-season banquet shortly after the report to Medway High administrators.
Ober's complaint states that she incurred damages including lost wages, severance benefits, emotional distress and attorney's fees.
This article originally appeared on The Milford Daily News: Former Medway cheer coach files discrimination complaint against school over firing
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