Valor Christian High School, located in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, allegedly forced a junior varsity volleyball coach to resign from his position after discovering his sexual orientation. The school claimed that the coach’s homosexuality directly interfered with the school’s policy and culture. 

Inoke Tonga, the junior varsity volleyball coach, took to social media and expressed his dissatisfaction with the homophobic environment at the high school. In an Instagram post, Tonga shared that he was confronted by the campus pastor and athletic director to either “denounce he was gay” or quit his job. The school’s explanation to Tonga was “[they] can’t just have [him] hanging around the kids if [he] identifies that way.” 

In the Instagram post, Tanga went on to say, "With my head held high, and with tears ready to be shed for hours, even days, I walked away knowing that my journey as a coach at Valor Christian had come to an end – I was not going to 'denounce identifying as a gay man.'" He continued, "I speak out with my experience with no intention of wanting sympathy. I speak out because I have taught my kids (yes these kids are MY KIDS) to embrace who they are and learn to love themselves. To stick up for one another and to stand up against those who harm any of their own. I speak out for once in my life, to show MY KIDS that I too, have to live up to the expectations I have set forth for them."

In response to Tonga’s dismissal, around 30 students walked out of class to protest the school’s policies. The undivided support for the beloved volleyball teacher was overwhelming, to say the least. Lucy Sarkissian, one of Tonga’s students, according to NY Daily News, said, “Reading the statements from Coach Inoke broke my heart, to hear that they called him a danger to the school.” She added, “I know that for every queer teen who’s sitting at the school right now to hear they are a danger breaks their heart.”  

The group of students said their intent was to “show the administration that discrimination and bigotry will not be tolerated.” As this news broke out, an alumnus gathered testimonies from LGBTQ students that attended Valor Christian high school about the prejudice they experienced. Over 40 students have recounted situations that occurred on campus. 

In a statement, the school responded by claiming that many elements of what transpired were distorted, and they wished luck in Tonga’s future aspirations. “Valor requires its staff, faculty and volunteer leaders — those who represent the Valor community and guide the spiritual development of our students — to agree with Valor’s Christian beliefs set forth in our Statement of Beliefs and in other policies and to live in accordance with such beliefs,” said the Valor statement.

By Emilie Chi