[crossposted at
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Let's just call it a bad public relations month for my beloved alma mater, Penn State. First, it was "Catch An Illegal Immigrant Day", courtesy of the PSU College Republicans. Yesterday, Penn State announced a slap on the wrist and a warning to the coach of Penn State's perenially underachieving women's basketball team, Rene Portland, for her continued mistreatment and purging of allegedly gay athletes on her team. If Portland even suspected that one of her basketball players could have been gay, their lives were turned upside-down by the coach. Often, the players were removed from the team or encouraged to transfer.
More on the flip, yo.
So, how did Graham Spanier, Penn State University President and
self-proclaimed champion of diversity, punish Portland for her continuing harassment? With the ultimate slap on the wrist --
a $10,000 fine and a warning. Spanier had to do
something, as the University is faced with a federal lawsuit by Jen Harris, a former player:
Harris' 71-page complaint alleges that despite her outstanding performance as a student-athlete during her two years at Penn State, Portland repeatedly inquired about Harris' sexual orientation, pressured Harris to change her appearance to be more "feminine," harassed and targeted Harris and other African-American athletes, and eventually instructed other players not to associate with Harris. After the 2004-05 season, the complaint says, Portland abruptly told Harris to find somewhere else to play.
The University's internal investigation found no evidence of racial discrimination. As for Rene Portland's anti-lesbian stance:
According to Harris' complaint, in recruiting, Portland has continued to advise potential players and their parents, including Harris and her parents, that she does not permit lesbians to play on Penn State's team. In 2000, when Harris told Portland she had narrowed her choices to just two schools -- Penn State and Virginia -- Portland responded that Harris couldn't possibly be interested in Penn State if she were interested in Virginia because at Virginia they "date girls" and at Penn State we "date boys."
"Wait a minute," you say. "Isn't this all just alleged in a court document? I mean, none of this has been proven in a court of law yet, right?"
Right. Except that there is a two-decade mountain of evidence that the Jen Harris / Rene Portland fiasco isn't a one-time occurrence.