Two coaches at Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, have recently alleged they were forced from their jobs because they’re gay. Inoke Tonga, who coached junior varsity girl’s volleyball, says the school made him choose between denouncing his sexual orientation and keeping his job. Lauren Benner, who coached women’s lacrosse at the school and was once coach of the year, says a similar situation happened to her back in 2019. Now, students are protesting in solidarity.
On Tuesday, about 30 students left class to support Tonga. The students also want the school to make big-picture changes to its policies and the overall culture. Sixteen-year-old Lucy Sarkissian organized the protest and told local outlet CBS4 that it’s heartbreaking for queer teenagers to be told they’re essentially a “danger.”
Cole Watson, an alumnus of the school who graduated in 2018, attended the protest and told News9 he was out of the closet despite a less than welcoming environment. "I had a teacher in one of my classes lead a discussion about what part of Hell I would end up in because of my choices," Watson recalled.
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