Walker v. Miles College et al

On September 24, 2018, Tamika Walker, the former women's basketball coach at Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama, filed a federal lawsuit against the historically black liberal arts college and its president, George T. French Jr. Walker, who is openly gay, alleged she endured discrimination and a hostile work environment because of her sexual orientation. She claimed that after she complained about unequal treatment and homophobic remarks, the college retaliated by refusing to renew her contract and ultimately terminating her employment. The suit, brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and state law, argued that her dismissal was motivated by bias rather than performance. The case tested the application of anti-discrimination protections in a religiously affiliated educational setting in the Deep South.

The district court denied the college's motion to dismiss several core claims, allowing the lawsuit to advance. The parties subsequently entered into a confidential settlement agreement in 2020, leading to the voluntary dismissal of the case without a trial verdict.

Whether Miles College engaged in unlawful employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, whether Title VII covered such claims, and if the college retaliated against Walker for her internal complaints.

The lawsuit highlighted ongoing tensions between LGBTQ employment rights and religiously affiliated institutions in the southern United States. It was cited in broader legal discourse on the scope of sex discrimination under Title VII, predating the landmark 2020 Supreme Court ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County, which affirmed that Title VII protects gay and transgender workers.