UMBC Swimmers Reject Abuse Settlement, To Continue Legal Action
Six former swimmers from the University of Maryland Baltimore County have rejected a settlement of their lawsuits against the university over abuse by a former coach and will continue litigation against the school.
The university and the Department of Justice in April entered into an agreement for compensation to athletes that were abused by former head swim coach Chad Craddock. That settlement included $4.1 million in payments to two different groups of victims.
However, three former UMBC swimmers spoke to The Baltimore Sun this week, calling the offers they received “insulting.” They intend to pursue further legal action that, in addition to the monetary factor, will also shed more light on the university’s handling of complaints about Craddock’s behavior that stretched for years.
Craddock’s conduct included physical and emotional abuse as well as harassment and discrimination that lasted from 2015 to 2020. (Craddock committed suicide in 2021 after being placed on leave pending an investigation.) The Department of Justice determined that the university failed to take prompt action on allegations that swimmers brought forth, including that Craddock filmed students while showering, inappropriately touched male students and failed to report instances of dating violence.
The settlement came with both a formal apology from university president Valerie Sheares Ashby for the school’s failure to protect students and a requirement that UMBC reform its Title IX enforcement procedures.
A lawyer for the swimmers pursuing the case emphasized that the legal action is about more than money, an acknowledgement of the magnitude of hurt the situation caused.
“They think that they’re looking for a check, and that might be part of it, but they’re looking to hold individuals accountable,” Rignal Baldwin V told The Sun. “That was part of the DOJ arrangement — that they would have to give up their opportunity to hold individuals accountable. They have decided at this time that this doesn’t work for them and we as their attorneys stand by them.”
Read the full report by The Baltimore Sun here.
More UMBC Reading
- U.S. Department of Justice Finds UMBC Did Not Protect Swimmers from Abuse
- UMBC Faces Lawsuit From Former Swimmers Alleging School Ignored, Covered Up Sexual Abuse
- Female Swimmer Sues UMBC, Alleging Mishandling of Abuse Claims