Louisiana College Refuses to Hire Coach with ‘Jewish Blood’
Joshua Bonadona is a graduate of Louisiana college. He is also the former kicker, and was often seen leading the team's Christian devotional. After his graduation in 2013, he served as assistant football coach until 2015 when he decided to pursue a graduate degree and a coaching job at the Southeast Missouri State University. Last year, he headed back home on the word of head football coach Justin Charles that Joshua's Alma mater would love to hire him back. Mr. Bonadona never got that job, even though he did receive a glowing endorsement from Coach Charles.
According to the lawsuit filed yesterday, Joshua Bonadona was denied the job because of his Jewish heritage. ESPN reports that during the interview process he was asked by college president Rick Brewer what his parents religious affiliation was. He answered truthfully that his father was Catholic and his mother was Jewish. Josh was raised in the Jewish faith, but decided to convert to Christianity in college. When Bonadona didn't get the job he asked head coach Charles what happened. That's when he was told that the college didn't approve of his "Jewish Blood." Although the Baptist college (as a private religious institution) does have the right to decide who to hire and fire based on religious reasons, Bonadona's lawyer claims that this is a racial issue. Jewish people are protected from this kind of discrimination under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.