TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Legal Newsline) — A man alleges he was fired as the Florida A&M director of track and field due to his gender.
Phillip Butler, Jr., filed a complaint May 29 in Leon County Circuit Court against Board of Trustees of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (Florida A&M) alleging civil rights violations and other claims.
Butler, says on Dec. 15, 2021, he received a verbal job offer for the head women's track and field coach position and the very next day, was offered a higher job title as director of track and field. Butler further claims he gave notice with his former employer of six years, Prairie View A&M University, moved to Tallahassee, took a headshot for his ID, provided a bio for a press release, was given keys to the track locker and equipment room at Florida A&M and met with the women's and men's track teams and staff.
He alleges that in January of 2022, he was told that Skye Dawson, the head men's track and field coach, filed an HR complaint against Michael Dawson, the associate athletic director, over his hiring because he believed a woman should have been hired. Butler further alleges he was told that the school's alumni wanted a female coach to fill the vacancy he had already been offered and that he was terminated due to his gender.
Butler seeks monetary relief of more than $50,000, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. He is represented by Marie Mattox of Marie A. Mattox PA in Tallahassee,.
Leon County Circuit Court case number 23-CA-001585