About 50 Valor Christian High School students walked out of classes on Tuesday afternoon to support a volleyball coach, who says he was forced to leave his job over his sexuality.<\/p>\n
The volleyball coach, Inoke Tonga, described on social media how he was pushed out of his job at Valor Christian after school administration found a social media post suggesting Tonga was gay.<\/p>\n
The students spoke through a bullhorn about how Valor can\u2019t continue to use religion as a guard for bigotry and how students stand with LGBTQ students\/employees. \u201cWe will not forget your bigotry. We will no longer stay silent,” the yelled.<\/p>\n
Lucy Sarkissian, 16, said she\u2019s seen discrimination and homophobia happen at Valor, including watching teachers refuse to use a trans student’s preferred pronouns.<\/p>\n
\u201cHiding behind Christianity as a guise for bigotry is not only disgusting, it\u2019s not Christ-like,” Sarkissian said. “We will not stand for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
She continued, “My obligation as someone called to love others as the Lord does is to speak out against bigotry and stand up.”<\/p>\n
Tonga, a devout Christian, said the campus pastor and athletic director called a meeting with him last week in which he was berated over his sexual orientation. Tonga said the school administrators called his gayness “a danger” to the school and children and commented that “parents pay too much” to attend the private religious school for their children to be coached by a gay man.<\/p>\n
Toward the end of the conversation,\u00a0first reported by Denver7, Tonga said school officials told him he had two options: Denounce being a gay man or leave the position.<\/p>\n
Valor Christian school officials confirmed a conversation happened around Tonga’s sexual orientation.<\/p>\n
In Valor Christian\u2019s statement provided by marketing coordinator Nancy Columbia, school officials said they require its staff, faculty and volunteer leaders to agree with Valor\u2019s Christian beliefs set forth in their statement of belief and to live in accordance with it.<\/p>\n
Valor Christian said that after its discussion with Inoke, the coach told them he does not support Valor\u2019s beliefs and requested a separation from the school.<\/p>\n
\u201cValor Christian High School embraces, loves and respects all students, families and other participants in our community, regardless of whether or not they agree with Valor\u2019s beliefs,\u201d Valor Christian\u2019s statement said. \u201cAlthough Coach Inoke has misrepresented many aspects of this matter, Valor appreciates the contributions he has made to the student athletes in our volleyball program, and we wish him the very best in his future endeavors.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole Watson, a 21-year-old alumnus who came to support the student walkout, said he\u2019s gay and although he had a great experience academically and artistically, he\u00a0 was discriminated against for his sexual orientation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m disappointed and disgusted by this, but not surprised,” Watson said.<\/p>\n
Valor Christian High School is a member of the Colorado High School Activities Associations. The association’s bylaws say that a member school’s students must have equal access and opportunities to participate in activities and athletics without unlawful discrimination based on disability, race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, national origin, or ancestry.<\/p>\n
When asked if those bylaws extended to coaches and whether Valor Christian could face any CHSAA repercussions regarding this incident, Brad Cochi, CHSAA spokesman, sent the following statement: \u201cThe state of Colorado, along with the Federal Government, have strong and robust legal protections for individuals that believe their civil rights have been violated by their employers. \u00a0The correct venue for addressing any concerns around alleged discriminatory practices of school employers in Colorado rests with the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, along with the State and Federal courts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Iris Halpern, an employee rights attorney with Denver-based firm Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC, said there are federal and state exemptions to anti-discrimination laws that give religious organizations hiring and firing discretion based on an employee’s sexual orientation.<\/p>\n
“Despite the narrow exemption for religious organizations under federal and state anti-discrimination laws, LGBTQ employees should still know the vast majority of the time, they are still protected under state and federal anti-discrimination laws,” Halpern said.<\/p>\n