Pat Griffin and Gail Kerr on Belmont University affair

We want to share some interesting comments regarding the case of Lisa Howe, a soccer coach fired (or asked to resign?) from Christian Belmont University in Nashville.

From LGBT sport educator Pat Griffin's blog:

What Belmont is doing might be legal, but it sure is not moral. From all accounts, Lisa Howe has been an exemplary coach. She even abided by the don’t ask, don’t tell policy imposed on LGBT employees at Belmont, at least until becoming a mother prompted her to tell her team out a desire to be honest and open. She even asked permission first, but faced with administrative silence, she did want she thought was best for her relationship with her team.

Among the many disgusting aspects of this story is the complete hypocrisy of Belmont University and its administrators. I have no doubt that Belmont administrators knew Lisa Howe is a lesbian. It was apparently fine to have a lesbian coach as long as she lied about and hid her sexual orientation. They obviously weren’t concerned about Lisa’s character or moral fiber. They were comfortable with her in a leadership position with the young women on her team for six years…as long as she was dishonest. How Christian of Belmont University. It’s enough to make me wonder if “Thou Shalt Be A Hypocrite” is a new the 11th commandment or something?
This would be a great time for Christians who believe that this kind of hypocrisy is wrong to stand up publicly and reclaim some of the moral high ground that the folks at Belmont University apparently are not familiar with.

From Gail Kerr's commentary in The Tennessean:

From all indications, Coach Lisa Howe was trying to do the right thing. When her partner became pregnant, she was smart enough to know that you cannot hide stuff like that from college women. Especially a team of college women who look to their coach for advice and guidance. Coaches and players share a special bond.

Every request she made for permission to tell the truth was ignored. So she went ahead when rumors started leaking and did what she thought was the right thing. She told her team. The result? After a failed attempt at a cover-up, the college forced her to resign.

Make no mistake about it: This is a turning point for Belmont. Is it really the progressive university Fisher has strived to create? Or a campus where adults are treated like children and lies are official administration policy?

Here is a woman who has been ousted by a Christian university because she is choosing to become a mother in a nontraditional way and refuses to lie about it or hide who she is.

During the Christmas season.

Imagine that.