NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — A private, historically Baptist Christian college sparked a national media firestorm when its successful women's soccer coach left her job shortly after telling members of her team that she is gay.
Officials at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., issued a press release Dec. 2 saying Coach Lisa Howe was leaving after six years on the job. Members of the team said she was told to resign or be fired after revealing that she and her same-sex partner are expecting a baby in May.
The initial release quoted the athletics director saying Howe "informed the university of her intent to conclude her employment with Belmont" and that it was her decision. Another release the following day said Howe did not "resign" and was not "dismissed." Acknowledging "inaccuracies" in the first release, officials said Howe's leaving was by "mutual agreement."
The former coach isn't discussing the terms of her departure, on advice from a lawyer. She released a statement expressing appreciation for the opportunity to lead the women's soccer team, thanking her student athletes and concluding, "I am at a point in my life where I am satisfied to move on, and I wish the Belmont women's soccer team continued success."
Students, alumni and other supporters braved cold temperatures Sunday, Dec. 5, to hold signs on the edge of campus protesting what they called a firing over sexual orientation. Another demonstration followed Dec. 8 with a cross-campus march by about 100 students.
The protests made headlines in the campus and Nashville newspapers and lead stories in TV news broadcasts before spilling over into national outlets including The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, CBS News and the Huffington Post.
The faculty senate passed a unanimous resolution encouraging conversation about the university's hiring policy and affirming belief "that sexual identity of individuals should not impact that person's standing on campus." The senate voted to postpone until January another resolution that called for clarification of Belmont's hiring policies regarding sexual orientation after a number of faculty senators voiced concern about what actions a hasty resolution might force.
Belmont President Robert Fisher said Dec. 8 the university did a poor job in communicating and he took full responsibility for that. He said it is against school policy to discuss personnel matters but stated clearly that "sexual orientation is not considered in making hiring, promotion, salary or dismissal decisions at Belmont."
Howe praised Fisher's statement Dec. 9, saying it would "set an example for Christian schools and universities across the country."
“I look forward to seeing this policy implemented," she said in a statement. "I intend for my next job to be in a place where I feel safe and welcome. If Belmont is that place, then I will certainly consider reapplying."
Observers say the controversy sheds light on a disconnect between students, faculty and administration on sexual identity.
The administration has twice refused to recognize a student organization to "examine the intersection of Christian faith and LGBT related issues through group discussion." The official response was that such a group could be "potentially provocative or even divisive." As a compromise the university initiated a series of discussion groups called "Difficult Dialogues."
Members of Bridge Builders, which now functions as an unofficial group and spearheaded the recent student demonstrations, said the university-sponsored discussion attracted primarily people on their side of the issue and that they believe official recognition would better poise them to engage differing points of view.
The rift also revealed tension for schools like Belmont tethered to a sectarian heritage yet ambitious to lure top talent in athletics and fields including law and the entertainment industry. In 2007 Belmont agreed to pay $11 million to settle a lawsuit terminating its 56-year relationship with the Tennessee Baptist Convention, in part to diversify its trustee board and donor database in a day when the majority of students are no longer Baptist.
Trustee emeritus Mike Curb, a music business executive who has given millions of dollars to the university; issued a letter saying current board members are out of touch with the reality facing alumni of a school of music business that carries his name. Curb, whose major gifts include $10 million for naming rights to the $52 million Curb Event Center completed in 2003, said regardless of their own sexual orientation, Belmont students would have to work with gay colleagues after they graduate.
Like many colleges, Belmont's policies are ambiguous when it comes to hiring gays. Its policy of non-discrimination cites both civil-rights law and "Christian values." Among other things, those values "affirm the dignity of each person as a creation of God." Sexual orientation is not mentioned in the policy, but the university reserves the right to "discriminate on the basis of religion in order to fulfill its purposes."
The school recently deleted "homosexual behavior" from a student policy on sexual misconduct while retaining "sexual relations outside marriage."
Women on the soccer team said Howe had never spoken about her sexuality before, but when her partner became pregnant she wanted her team to hear it from her instead of through gossip or rumor. After waiting several weeks for permission and with word starting to lead out, she took it upon herself to share the news just before Thanksgiving. A day after classes resumed Nov. 29, Howe was gone.
A team leader who asked for clarification said she was told that Belmont's policy is don't ask, don't tell, and that by sharing that she and her partner were having a child Howe outed herself. Howe would have been fired after the baby's birth, anyway, the player said she was told, because it is impossible to hide a child.
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Bob Allen is senior writer for Associated Baptist Press.
