Lisa Howe, Former Belmont Coach, Allegedly Fired For Being Gay

Belmont University's former head soccer coach Lisa Howe may have been dismissed from her post because she is a lesbian, according to the Tennessean.

Howe told her team that she would be leaving the Christian-affiliated university late last week, shortly after announcing that she and her partner were expecting a baby in May. Howe had been denied permission to share this information with her team.

Belmont Athletics Director Mike Strickland said in an e-mail Thursday night that Howe had resigned voluntarily. On Friday morning, however, Strickland sent out a second e-mail stating that her removal had been mutually decided by her and Belmont officials, reports the Belmont Vision.

Members of the soccer team, however, believe that it was Howe's decision to tell them of her impending motherhood that led to her termination. Junior Ashley Hudak told the Tennessean that, "[Howe] said she needed to resign or she was going to be fired because of the choices she had made with her life."

In an attempt to clarify the situation, team captain and Belmont junior Sari Lin asked Strickland to explain why the coach was asked to leave. "He basically said we have the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy and when [Howe] told us about the pregnancy, it violated that," Lin said. "He pretty much told me that once the baby was born she was going to get fired anyway, so it's better to do it sooner than later."

Outraged team members and other Belmont students staged a rally on Sunday to condemn the unfair dismissal and speak out for LGBT rights on campus. Belmont alum Guy Farmer told the Vision that they hoped to demonstrate support for Howe and other gay administrators and students and to pressure the university to extend its anti-discrimination policy to include sexual orientation.

Howe -- who helped the team achieve an impressive 52-48-16 record, told students in an e-mail published by the Vision that,

I appreciate Belmont University giving me the opportunity to lead the women's soccer program for the last six seasons... I want to thank all the student-athletes who worked so hard for and dedicated themselves to me and the program. 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.

Below, check out News Channel Five's coverage:

What do you think of this situation? Let us know in the comments section.

Comments

[debtfree9]

01:36 AM on 12/21/2010

It is a private school and can determine the policies it wishes to follow. But, in the video the school says it does not discriminate against gays and yet, here this coach is fired. It is obvious she was fired for being a lesbian and not because of her coaching abilities. Hope another school looking for an excellent coach hires her. Their gain is Belmont's loss.

[Tracey Bowden]

11:32 PM on 12/08/2010

Belmont should not re-hire Coach Howe. She was fully aware of the schools stand on same-sex relationships and she violated school policy so they should not re-hire her. She decided to make her personal life public therefore the school has every right to terminate her. Yes, the bible says love you neighbor but it doesn't say you have to accept their ungodly behavior and just because you don't approve of the act doesn't mean you can't still love the person. Love the person not the sin that they are in.

[TeeSC]

07:07 PM on 12/10/2010

I'm stunned that you think that homosexuality is ungodly.  My God taught me that it's not for ME to judge anyone.  So happy to hear you have an inside track on what God wants.

[millerc1]

09:02 PM on 12/08/2010

SUBMIT YOUR OPINION HERE: http://campus.belmont.edu/students/f10/ism/310001/millerc/

[Mik McAllister]

06:06 PM on 12/08/2010

Thank gawd her team wasn't told where babies came from. That could have been a real disaster.

[Sarah Reeves]

01:54 PM on 12/08/2010

@ LUstudent: Lipscomb has fired for less. In fact, people have not been hired and been terminated for being divorced.

[Spazzznyc]

07:54 AM on 12/07/2010

I should thank God every day my birth happened in the northeast, far from the right wing dominated Christian communities of the deep south. My teachers or coach's sexuality was always a non-issue and education and learning was primary. Why are some people so fixated on sex and afraid that some people are just gay and happy?

[tdotbird]

08:51 PM on 12/06/2010

The reaction from the student body at Belmont as a whole has been really disappointing. There's almost 5,000 people who go to that school and only 20 something showed up to that rally yesterday and about 60 came to a sit-in today. The school isn't "officially" affiliated with the Baptist church anymore, but it's clear that its influence is as strong as ever. It's also worth noting that Belmont hasn't allowed the creation of a Gay Straight Alliance chapter at their institution either. As a student who goes to a far more secular college here in middle Tennessee, I find Belmont's approach to gay rights to be outrageous and an embarrassment to all schools in this area.

[TeeSC]

07:10 PM on 12/10/2010

While I am completely disgusted with the "ungodly" comment, I do agree with the poster above.  The policy of the school was clearly stated.  Whether you like it or not... or approve of it or not... they violated school policy.  I'm not sure that there is a moral issue involved at this point.  God forbid that anyone infer that I support bigotry... I do not.  But why should they be able to flaunt school policy and no one else?  To me they are two different issues.  I do welcome your response.

[Heidi McClure]

01:21 PM on 12/21/2010

When school policy is discriminatory, there most certainly is a moral issue involved. What if school policy was not to allow black people to work there? Or Jews? Fat people? Ugly people? Old people? People with blue eyes? Brown hair? The policy itself is immoral.

[LUstudent]

05:52 PM on 12/06/2010

As a student at the distinctively Christian university just three miles away, I can't help but see how this saves our chances at being the best university on the boulevard ... and her chances of going to heaven ;)

[GraceNotes]

05:14 PM on 12/06/2010

Wait, this is a college, where her team is composed of young adults aged 18-21, and she was forbidden to share her good news with them? Well, I am so glad this university is finally thinking of the children! (Sarcasm)

[Bob Kellerman]

04:51 PM on 12/06/2010

Gays and Lesbians should be like furniture

Just use them for what you need of them, and expect them to give up normal human rights, because rocking YOUR boat is not allowed.

What she DID do wrong -- expect better treatment