CO volleyball coach says he lost Christian high school job after refusing to 'denounce being gay'

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Hat tip, commenter Halou at Joe.My.God.

Halou • 41 minutes ago

OT-ish.
School forced a volleyball coach out of his position for not denouncing homosexuality.

Colorado volleyball coach says he lost Christian high school job after refusing to "denounce being gay."

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Colorado volleyball coach says he lost Christian high school job after refusing to 'denounce being gay'

Valor Christian High School said "a separation is appropriate" because of former coach Inoke Tonga's views "pertaining to sexuality and marriage."

Aug. 26, 2021, 4:40 PM EDT
By David K. Li

A religious high school in Colorado forced a volleyball coach out of his post after it learned his sexual orientation and told him the only path forward was to "denounce being gay," the man said Thursday.

Officials at Valor Christian High School, in the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, acknowledged that they confronted coach Inoke Tonga over his beliefs "pertaining to sexuality and marriage" but contend that he walked away on his own accord.

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Some Valor Christian students walked out of class this week in support of Tonga and Lauren Benner, a former Valor girls lacrosse coach who came forward after Tonga's ouster became pubic and said she, too, was pushed out of her post last year because of sexual orientation.

Tonga said last week's sudden departure hasn't shaken his Christian faith.

"Being gay, in the LGBTQ+ community and identifying as Christian can co-exist," said Tonga, who also coaches local club volleyball. "That's what I want to stress to my kids."

LOCAL NEWS

After 2 Valor Christian coaches were questioned about being gay, students protest school's policy

When Lauren Benner had a meeting with school administrators, she thought she was getting a pay raise – instead, she said she was asked if she was dating a woman.

Author: Katie Eastman, Marc Sallinger (9 News)

Published: 7:47 PM MDT August 24, 2021
Updated: 10:13 PM MDT August 24, 2021

HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. — Her 3 p.m. Friday meeting was on her calendar and Lauren Benner was expecting a pay raise an a title change when she went to meet with her bosses at Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

That meeting was nearly three years ago, but the former lacrosse coach and athletic administrator remembers the details clearly.

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Lauren Benner, Louisville Cardinals

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Year At Louisville: First
Birthday: December 27
Education: Bachelor’s Degree (Virginia, ’10); Master's Degree (Denver, '12)
Hometown: Arnold, Md.

Athletic Career
• Spent four years as a goalie at Virginia
• Helped lead the Cavaliers to four NCAA appearances, a pair of ACC championships (2007, 2008) and one NCAA Final appearance (2007)
• Named to the IWLCA All-South Regional team and VaSID All-State Team her senior year
• ACC Athletic Honor Roll (2007–2009); Dean’s List University of Virginia (2008)
• Having redshirted her second year at UVA, went on to pursue her fifth year of eligibility at Denver
• Named to the IWLCA Honor Roll her fifth year; Dean’s List University of Denver (2011)
• Member of Team STX since 2013; an elite post-collegiate women’s lacrosse team representing the STX brand nationally and internationally (England Summer 2015)

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