Allegations of an alleged sexual assault involving a member of the Navarro College cheerleading team is part of a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday.
The claims come in a civil suit that says the head coach actively tried to keep one of her cheerleaders from reporting an alleged sexual assault.
Made famous by the Netflix documentary series “Cheer,” Navarro College in Corsicana on Thursday defended itself from allegations it tried to dissuade one of its students from reporting an alleged sexual assault.
According to a federal lawsuit, the plaintiff, a female former Navarro College cheerleader, alleges a male cheerleader sexually assaulted her in a dorm room in the fall of 2021.
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The lawsuit further alleges that head coach Monica Aldama promised to help advance the cheer career of the plaintiff if she remained quiet.
It’s part of a 20-page claim that alleges Title IX violations against Aldama, Navarro College, athletic director Michael Lander and Title IX coordinator Elizabeth Pillans.
“Defendants permitted a campus condition rife with sexual assault and lacking the basic standards of support for victims as required by state and federal law,” the lawsuit said.
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Navarro College told NBC 5 in a statement it’s aware of the lawsuit and denies any allegations of wrongdoing.
“The safety and welfare of students is always of utmost priority,” the statement said. “Navarro College prohibits sexual harassment and sexual misconduct against all students and is deeply committed to providing an educational environment free from sex discrimination and sexual assault.”
Navarro College added it has policies in place for reporting, investigating and responding to allegations but said it would not comment further because of the pending lawsuit
“Cheer” propelled the small college to international fame in early 2020 but scandals followed. One of the show’s stars, Jerry Harris, was sentenced to federal prison imprisonment for soliciting sex with minors. A coach and choreographer, Robert Joseph Scianna Jr., was arrested in Virginia in 2021 and pleaded guilty to a solicitation charge.
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