Phil Ingersoll files age discrimination suit against OKCPS

Oklahoma Coaches Association Hall of Fame basketball coach Phil Ingersoll has filed an age discrimination suit with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against Oklahoma City Public Schools.

The suit is in regard to Ingersoll accepting an offer to become the basketball coach at Douglass High School in June, then having the offer rescinded less than a week later.

In paperwork filed Oct. 5 with the EEOC, Ingersoll, age 59, says he met with OKCPS Superintendent Karl Springer in June to inquire about the reason for the offer being rescinded and Springer told him it was due to the “‘totality of our relationship,’ which he declined to elaborate on. No reason was given for hiring a younger, less experienced person for the job.”

Ingersoll told The Oklahoman Tuesday that “my attorney and I did not feel that was an adequate explanation.”

Anthony Andrews, 49, was hired in July as the Douglass coach. Previously, he was the head coach at the Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga, Tenn., and he coached travel teams on the summer circuit. He most recently had worked as an assistant coach at Newcastle.

“As of (Tuesday), the Oklahoma City Public School District administration has not been served with a lawsuit from Phil Ingersoll alleging discrimination,” Springer said.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com
Twitter: @ScottWrightOK