Lawsuit Alleges Navarro College Cheer Coach Covered Up NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth Sexual Assault Allegation

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The alleged sexual assault allegations involving a member of the Navarro College cheerleading team are part of a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday.

The claims are the subject of a civil lawsuit that the head coach actively tried to prevent one of his cheerleaders from reporting an alleged sexual assault.

Made famous by the Netflix documentary series Cheer, Navarro College de Corsicana defended itself on Thursday from allegations that it tried to dissuade one of its students from reporting an alleged sexual assault.

According to a federal lawsuit, the plaintiff, a former Navarro College cheerleader, alleges that a man sexually assaulted her in a dorm in the fall of 2021.

The lawsuit further alleges that head coach Monica Aldama promised to help advance the plaintiff’s career if she remained silent.

This is 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.

The defendants permitted a campus condition plagued by sexual assault and lacking basic standards of victim support as required by federal and state law, the lawsuit said.

Navarro College told NBC 5 in a statement that it was aware of the lawsuit and denies any allegations of wrongdoing.

The safety and well-being of students is always a top 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 gender discrimination and sexual assault.

Navarro College added that it has policies in place to report, investigate and respond to allegations, but said it would not comment further due to the ongoing 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 for soliciting sex from minors. A trainer and choreographer, Robert Joseph Scianna Jr., was arrested in Virginia in 2021 and pleaded guilty to a solicitation charge.

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