Virginia Tech Athlete Who Alleged ‘She Lost Playing Time’ for Not Kneeling for BLM Can Proceed With Lawsuit
“some members of the soccer team wanted to show support for the BLM movement, while others, including Hening, did not want to back the group and its goals”
There are some things in higher education that you can’t do and other things you must do.
The College Fix reports:
VA Tech athlete who refused to kneel for BLM can continue lawsuit, judge rules
A Virginia Tech female soccer player who alleged that she lost playing time after refusing to go along with the woke agenda of her coach can continue her First Amendment lawsuit, a judge ruled recently.
Former soccer player Kierstien Hening’s suit against coach Charles “Chugger” Aidair can proceed, federal Judge Thomas Cullen announced on December 2.
Aidair moved to dismiss the lawsuit, but Cullen ruled Hening’s suit could continue.
The issue arose during the fall 2020 season, after the Black Lives Matter riots over the summer ostensibly stemming from the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.
According to the court documents, some members of the soccer team wanted to show support for the BLM movement, while others, including Hening, did not want to back the group and its goals.
Hening (pictured) alleges she lost playing time for refusing to kneel during a “unity statement,” a cause supported by Adair and some members of the team.
Adair also berated Hening, according to the lawsuit. Judge Cullen noted:
Hening, who had been a major on-field contributor for two years prior to the 2020 season, also asserts that Adair removed her from the starting lineup for the next two games and drastically reduced her playing time in those games because she had engaged in this protected First Amendment activity. As a result, Hening resigned from the team after the third game of the season.
Hening objectively played fewer minutes after refusing to kneel for her coach’s woke agenda, although Chugger asserts it was because of her playing ability.
“As a freshman, Hening averaged 76 minutes of playing time; as a sophomore, nearly 88,” the ruling noted. “But during the Clemson game [the game that followed Hening’s refusal], Hening only played 29 minutes, and, at the UNC game, just 5.”
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Comments
“Aidair moved to dismiss the lawsuit, but Cullen ruled Hening’s suit could continue.”
When your “principles” are defined by “supporting the current thing,” it’s so embarrassing to be frozen in time by a lawsuit, naked and alone, after the “opinion” of the rest of the NPCs has moved elsewhere.
God bless her for her courage. I hope she encounters a judge who applies the law evenly and is not biased as so many appear to be today.
She’s still got a tough burden of proof, but at least she’s cleared the first hurdle.