Bowling Green Independent Schools has asked a federal judge to dismiss a discrimination lawsuit brought against the district by former Bowling Green High School girls’ basketball coaches LaVonda Johnson, Greg Johnson and Jalyn Savage.

The lawsuit, filed earlier this month in Warren Circuit Court, was transferred to U.S. District Court in Bowling Green on Monday by attorneys for the school district and superintendent Gary Fields, citing law that gives federal courts jurisdiction to hear civil cases involving allegations of federal civil rights violations.

Attorney Regina Jackson’s formal response to the legal complaint from the former coaches denied allegations of wrongdoing, claiming that the district and Fields acted in good faith toward the plaintiffs and that any action the district took regarding the former coaches “was for legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons and as such, did not violate any legal right possessed by them.”

LaVonda Johnson was the head coach of the BGHS girls’ basketball team for a decade until her removal in August by Fields.

According to a termination memorandum, Johnson was fired as coach Aug. 3 for an alleged pattern of behavior of not treating “student players with dignity and respect” and violating the Professional Code of Ethics for Kentucky Certified School Personnel.

Johnson, who is African-American, claimed in her lawsuit that her firing was based in whole or in part on her race.

Greg Johnson and Savage are also African-American and claim that race played a role in their coaching tenures ending. The three former coaches are represented by Lexington attorney Scott Hunt.

Johnson’s lawsuit said that she and a group of girls’ basketball parents met with BGHS principal Will King in the fall of 2015 to meet with perceived inequities in school and booster funding between the boys’ and girls’ basketball programs.

In March 2016, King presented Johnson with a list of performance expectations that included a requirement that she replace Greg Johnson and Savage as assistant coaches.

On April 1, 2016, LaVonda Johnson, Greg Johnson, Savage and the parent of a player on the girls’ basketball team met with King.

LaVonda Johnson claims in the lawsuit that King said during the meeting that he wanted the coaching staff and team to reflect the diversity of the school and that, when the parent asked if that meant he wanted more white players and coaches, King said “yes.”

In the response to the lawsuit, Jackson admitted the meeting occurred, but denied the rest of the allegations.

King told the Daily News in August that Johnson’s description of the meeting was not accurate.

Anthony Hickey, Houston Bunton and Chloe Elam, who are all African-American, were hired as assistants for the girls’ basketball team for the 2016-17 season.

Bunton was arrested in December 2016 and charged with multiple sex offenses.

Johnson claimed that she was the only BGHS coach subjected to requirements similar to the list of performance expectations.

The district’s response admits Johnson’s claim, but adds that “other employees have been removed from their coaching positions because of failure to meet expectations.”

Jackson also said in the response that Greg Johnson was provided notice that he was not being retained as assistant coach and Savage resigned.

Johnson’s lawsuit states that she made complaints regarding the meeting to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the state and federal departments of education, Kentucky High School Athletic Association and the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board.

Greg Johnson and Savage also filed complaints with the EEOC in January.

Johnson said in the lawsuit that she also provided information to the KHSAA regarding alleged recruiting violations by the boys’ basketball team that won the state tournament this past season, and that her firing was an act of retaliation by the district, an allegation that Jackson denies.

Joe Angolia, communications director for the KHSAA, told the Daily News earlier this month that a matter regarding the 2016-17 boys’ basketball team is under review, but declined to comment on whether it regards potential recruiting violations.

LaVonda Johnson remains employed as a special education teacher at BGHS and will receive her full coaching stipend for the upcoming season, due to being fired after the deadline for notice of reduction in salary for the current school year.

She went 254-56 in 10 seasons at BGHS with four Region 4 championships and eight consecutive District 14 titles.