christian school bans female referees in kansas

[undercutter2006]

St. Mary's Acad. says woman cannot ref boys game

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/highschool/02/13/female.official.ap/index.html?cnn=yes

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Kansas officials are investigating a religious school's refusal to let a female referee call a boys' high school basketball game.

The Kansas State High School Athletics Association said referees reported that Michelle Campbell was preparing to officiate at St. Mary's Academy near Topeka on Feb. 2 when a school official insisted that Campbell could not call the game. The reason given, according to the referees: Campbell, as a woman, could not be put in a position of authority over men because of the academy's beliefs. Campbell then walked off the court along with Darin Putthoff, the referee who was to work the game with her.

"I said, 'If Michelle has to leave, then I'm leaving with her,"' Putthoff said Wednesday. "I was disappointed that it happened to Michelle. I've never heard of anything like that."

Fred Shockey, who was getting ready to leave the gym after officiating two junior high games, said he was told there had been an emergency and was asked to stay and officiate two more games. "When I found out what the emergency was, I said there was no way I was going to work those games," said Shockey, who spent 12 years in the Army and became a ref about three years ago. "I have been led by some of the finest women this nation has to offer, and there was no way I was going to go along with that."

The Activities Association said it is considering whether to take action against the private religious school. The association could decide to remove St. Mary's Academy from the list of approved schools and take away its funds and its ability to compete against more than 300 member schools.

[KitchenWitch]

1. I hope the Activities Association does the right thing and removes St Mary's

The Rapture cannot happen soon enough.

[islandmkl]

2. How the hell does the Academy deal with the relationships all the boys have...

with their MOTHERS?

[Adsos Letter]

3. as one who believes in a strict Church/State separation....

that would seem to be within the rights of a church school, since they are basing it upon Pauline teachings regarding women in authority within the church...

But if they are competing in a league which has both public and parochial participants I would expect their argument to be voided...

...I'm obviously no lawyer...

[Warpy]

4. It is a league with public schools

which is why referees are randomly assigned.

It sounds like a bunch of men have really never gotten over that potty training thing.

It also sounds like either the school will have to accept any and all referees assigned or forfeit their place in that particular league.

[Adsos Letter]

5. In that case I agree with you Warpy...

Any league which combines public and parochial schools is out of line in demanding that their religious beliefs transfer to the broader league.

If it were a parochial league I would still think they would have an argument on their hands...my kids went to parochial school K-12, and female refs worked their league games...but we see Pauline principles a bit differently than most...tied to time and place and all that...

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. What a stupid thing. Glad those refs stood by her.

[Adsos Letter]

9. Yup...maybe that's what it takes in this world...

a standing with the abused and saying "abusing her is abusing me"...Damn, if we could just put that into practice everywhere!

[kiva]

7. Cheers to the other refs.

Good to see that the other officials supported their colleague--now if only the Activities Association will also act sanely, these wackos can focus on their own converts and leave everyone else alone.

[demigoddess]

14. amen to that!! just love the army guy's remarks... send him my love

from an armybrat!!!

[Journeyman]

8. Can we expect to see St. Mary's Academy move to Mexico . . .

in the event Mrs Clinton becomes President? How could they ever remain in a nation led by an "inferior"? And for that matter, how do they reconcile their position while living in a State that had a woman Senator just 10 years ago, and today has a female Congresscritter (Nancy Boyda - D) representing the very district in which St Mary's is situated?

[Adsos Letter]

10. Most denominations that think this way...

tend to go this route WITHIN their churches because it would be illegal to try to enforce it on a society ruled by our Constitution (and thank God for that document)

Within their churches this usually erupts in internecine warfare over issues of female pastorship, etc.

Thank the Founders that they are forced to limit that behavior to those who (mostly) willingly take part, though most would inflict it up[on us all if they could...

[Staph]

12. How do they cope

with Gov. Kathleen Sebelius? Do they refuse to obey state law, when the state's chief law enforcement officer is an "inferior" woman?


Cheeesh! Welcome to the 14th century!

[Adsos Letter]

13. They have to "suck it up"...

because our amazing Constitution prohibits them from enforcing theocratic interpretations upon the rest of us.

As long as the SCOTUS remains faithful to the document, that is...

[brentspeak]

11. Dupe