Former women's hockey coach at Harvard sues over ouster; alleges she was victim of gender double standards and angry, rich students and parents

Kathleen Stone, who says she was forced to resign as women's hockey coach at Harvard last year, this week sued Harvard and former players and parents over her ouster, alleging they made up crap about her in interviews with a Globe reporter, that she was being punished for behavior that male coaches at the school are allowed to get away with and that she was long paid far less than her male counterparts, despite being the winningest college women's hockey coach - and a one-time coach of the US Olympic hockey team.

In her suit, filed in US District Court in Boston, Stone is seeking millions in recompense for her public humiliation and effective end of her career, under federal and state discrimination and equal pay laws. She is also suing 50 as yet unnamed John and Jane Does - in particular the ones who fed the Globe with quotes - for defamation and civil conspiracy.

Harvard's attack on Coach Stone is part and parcel of a larger culture at the University wherein female coaches are undervalued, underpaid, heavily scrutinized, and held to a breathtakingly more stringent standard of behavior than their male counterparts.

Where Defendant Harvard permits, if not openly encourages, male coaches to use their discretion in how best to coach and motivate the players on their respective teams, Coach Stone was harshly punished and excoriated for engaging in the same coaching strategies and behaviors.

Moreover, where Defendant Harvard has repeatedly chosen to hold male coaches as separate from the often-inappropriate conduct of the players on their respective teams, Coach Stone received harsh criticism and discipline for the behavior of her players that she did not know occurred and never condoned.

Defendant Harvard's behavior towards Coach Stone, which agents and employees of the University have largely admitted was motivated, at least in part, by Coach Stone's gender, resulted not only in the public and irreparable attack on Coach Stone's character and reputation, but also in Plaintiff's forced early retirement and the premature conclusion of her storied career.

Stone alleges her troubles started in 2017, when she and other women coaches began demanding they be paid the same as male coaches at the school. But while that was eventually resolved - after five years, she says - what led directly to her forced leaving was the confluence of Harvard sexism and "a small group of individuals who, upon information and belief, included individuals of high net worth and in possession of unique power in their own employment," including family members of a former player still bitter at not getting all the ice time she felt she deserved.

All of this built up into internal Harvard investigations and a Globe story that painted her as "an angry and abusive coach" in January, 2023.

Stone charges she got demerits for actions her male counterparts were allowed to get away with.

Male coaches at Defendant Harvard are routinely observed using profanity in their coaching of male players, without consequence; whereas these same words have been deemed "inappropriate" or "abusive" when used by a female coach.

Where female coaches, such as Coach Stone, are expected to be nurturing towards their female players and coach with compassion and sensitivity, male coaches are allowed to be "tough" and hold their male players accountable for their actions, level of play, and effort.

And then there was the proclivity of Harvard athletes to get naked, she continues. Harvard dinged her for allowing her players to have "naked skates" during one "Freshman Fun Night." She says she was unaware they were doing that - and that once she learned of it, she was the one to report it to her superiors - but in any case:

[U]pon information and belief, the Men's Swimming and Diving Team engage in jumping from their diving board "naked." Upon information and belief, Defendant Harvard has taken no action regarding this information.

Upon further information and belief, male athletes engage in "Primal Scream" before examinations in December, which also involves nudity. Upon information and belief, Defendant Harvard has taken no action regarding this information.

She continues:

At all times relevant to this Complaint, Coach Stone has used her best judgment, which has resulted in landmark success for the University, to coach, mentor, and generally interact with the players on her team.

Coach Stone's tactics and behavior never significantly differed from that of her male colleagues. Yet, it was Coach Stone that was excoriated by Defendant Harvard for the same actions and behaviors the University applauded from its male coaching staff.

Moreover, male coaches at Defendant Harvard have been able to retain their head coach positions even after their respective teams and players have been publicly found to engage in gross misconduct. ...

Male coaches at Defendant Harvard enjoy a disconnect from their players' behavior that offers them a safeguard against discipline if/when the students act inappropriately. This safeguard is non-existent for the female coaching staff.

By way of example, but not limitation, the University's men's soccer team came under investigation in 2016 after it was reported that team members, for years prior, had annually maintained and shared a lewd document ranking members of the University's female soccer team based on their sex appeal.

Although the University suspended the remainder of the team's season, the male head coach of the men's soccer team at the time continued in his post until 2019, and upon information and belief, was never accused of misconduct based on his players' actions.