Removal of woman referee by religious school has some crying foul

By Steve Rock

from the Feb. 12, 2008 issue of The Kansas City Star

Just minutes before tip-off, basketball referee Michelle Campbell was ready to take the court. Shoes laced up, shirt tucked in, whistle in hand.

Then she noticed the discussion between her officiating partner and the school’s athletic director.

Finally, Campbell got the news: She wouldn’t be officiating the boys’ high school basketball game. Because she’s a woman.

Her reaction? “Dumbfounded,” Campbell said.

In a case its executive director is calling unprecedented, the Kansas State High School Activities Association is looking into the Feb. 2 incident that has roiled and rallied many other sports officials.

The game was at St. Mary’s Academy, a private religious school that sits on a sprawling campus about 25 miles northwest of Topeka. Before the game started, a school administrator approached Campbell’s officiating partner, Darin Putthoff of Topeka, and told him a woman could not serve as referee.

That would be putting a woman in a position of authority over boys, he was told — a scenario that was contrary to beliefs at St. Mary’s Academy….

More here

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