A cheerleading coach that has been with the University of Tennessee for more than a decade has been placed on administrative leave while the university reviews inappropriate conduct complaints.
Joy M. Postell-Gee's personnel file shows she was placed on leave Friday at 5 p.m. Among the complaints filed against her are "instances of racially and ethnically insensitive remarks made to members of the spirit squad."
Her file states she was also placed on administrative leave in January and returned June 8.
Janeen Lalik, Postell-Gee's direct supervisor and senior associate athletics director for strategic initiatives, sent her a letter on June 7 saying both students and parents have filed complaints dating back to 2016. They mostly surrounded her management of the UT spirit programs.
“Your behaviors demonstrate a continuing pattern of racial/ethnic insensitivity and mistreatment of the spirit squad members," the letter stated. After her 2016 performance review, a goal for her was to be "sensitive to diversity".
UT's Office of Ethics and Diversity said its investigation found Postell reportedly made comments to members of the spirit squad that were inappropriate or insensitive to race and national origin during the 2015-16 season.
In mid-May, the office found reason to believe that grounds to fire her existed. They had a conference where she had the opportunity to defend herself in late May. She was reinstated shortly after, on June 8, but she was then placed on leave again, on June 29.