H.S. Volleyball Coach Claims He Was Forced To Resign Because He's Gay
High School Volleyball Coach Claims He Was Forced To Resign ... Because He's Gay
A volleyball coach is calling out Denver's Valor Christian High School -- claiming the administrators "grilled" and belittled him after they found out he was gay ... and forced him to resign.
Inoke Tonga shared the details on Sunday ... saying he had a meeting with the campus pastor and athletic director last week about a Facebook post he made suggesting he's gay.
"I was asked if I had any changes in lifestyle that were life changing," Tonga said on Instagram.
"As I was asked repeatedly that question, they finally asked if I had posted something inappropriate on my social media that would go against Valor's culture and beliefs."
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"Eventually they asked if I did an interview, or posted anything about being gay. My answer was yes."
Tonga -- who started coaching the boy's team in 2020 -- says he was then "grilled about how being gay is a danger to the school and to the kids."
"They proceeded by telling me that they weren't trying to convert me into being a straight man and that ultimately I had two choices."
Tonga says those two choices were to denounce that he was gay or accept his sexuality but know that they "can't have you in front of the kids if you identify that way".
Tonga refused to denounce being gay and was released ... but when the school made the announcement, they said he resigned -- not that they forced him out.
"They told my girls, and the volleyball community that I was my choice to leave, which is a sense, yes, I chose to not denounce my sexuality but they left out the part where they pushed me out."
The school told the Denver Post that their faculty has to agree with the Christian beliefs and after talking with Tonga -- who is Christian -- they realized he did not support that and he decided to leave.
"Although Coach Inoke has misrepresented many aspects of this matter, Valor appreciates the contributions he has made to the student athletes in our volleyball program, and we wish him the very best in his future endeavors.”
