Valor Christian High School Coach Says He Was Forced To Resign Because He Is Gay

High School Coach Claims School Administrators Asked Him To Denounce Being Gay Or Quit

A high school volleyball coach says the administrators at his job told him to denounce being gay or quit his job.

Inoke Tonga works at Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Tonga took to  Facebook to share that administrators asked him during a meeting if he posted about being gay on his social media.

“I sat in the room being grilled about how being gay is a ‘danger’ to the school and to the kids,” Tonga said “That with me ‘identifying as a gay man, they can’t put the kids at risk by having me in front of them.’”

According to the Denver Post, Tonga worked as the coach for the 2020-2021 school year. Following pressure from higher-ups, he left.

“One of them even said ‘I don’t want to seem like I’m hanging a coaching position over your head to ‘convert’ you, but we just can’t have you in front of the kids if you identify that way,’” Tonga wrote.

“The other followed by saying ‘and we will make an email for you to send out and make sure that it states that you are away for personal matters, so that way when you make your decision to accept God and our help, you can come back and they don’t have to know of your spiritual battle.’”

When the Denver Post reached out for a statment the school said, “Valor Christian High School embraces, loves and respects all students, families and other participants in our community, regardless of whether or not they agree with Valor’s beliefs.

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.”