Private Baptist college denies coach candidate wasn’t hired over ‘Jewish blood’

Louisiana College, a private Baptist college, denies accusations that its president refused to hire one of its alumni as a football coach due to the candidate’s Jewish background.

Joshua Bonadona filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the college and its president, Rick Brewer.

The lawsuit alleges that Bonadona applied for a job as defensive back coach and was interviewed in May by Brewer and head coach Justin Charles. Charles later told Bonadona that Brewer would not approve his hiring due to what Brewer called his “Jewish blood,” the Associated Press reports.

Bonadona was born Jewish, but converted to Christianity while he attended Louisiana College. He was a kicker on the school’s football team, and often led the team’s pre-game “Christian devotional,” according to the lawsuit.

— JTA