DEARBORN, Mich. — A legendary high school wrestling coach in Michigan has filed a federal lawsuit claiming he was fired by a Muslim principal for his Christian beliefs.
Gerald Marszalek, a 35-year wrestling coach at Dearborn’s Fordson High School and member of the Michigan High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame, accuses Dearborn schools and principal Imad Fadlallah of violating his constitutional rights under the First Amendment and due process and equal protection under the 14th Amendment. He also claims religious discrimination and violation of civil rights under Michigan law.
Marszalek claims his coaching contract would not be renewed for another year because Fadlallah, a Muslim, was upset with his Christian beliefs and his close ties to an Assembly of God missionary church in Dearborn’s large Muslim community.
Trey Hancock, pastor of Dearborn Assembly of God, was a volunteer assistant coach for the wrestling team until 2005, when Fadlallah ordered him fired after he baptized a Muslim student introduced to Christ at a nonschool sanctioned and independent summer wrestling camp.
Fadlallah accused Hancock of using his access to the wrestling team to proselytize. Hancock said in five years as an assistant coach, he never mixed religion and sports. He said the youth he baptized is a friend of his son and had been attending Dearborn Assembly of God two years before he joined the wrestling team.
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