Feb 14, 2008 / 18:26 pm
A K-12 academy run by a traditionalist Catholic breakaway group is attracting attention for an apparent policy that forbids female referees from its basketball games, the Topeka Capital-Journal reports.
On February 2, two referees were to officiate at a basketball game at St. Mary’s Academy, run by the Society of St. Pius X. Ten minutes before the game started, the school administrator approached referee David Putthoff and asked that the female referee, Michelle Campbell, not officiate.
"He told us women were not allowed to referee there," said Putthoff, who spoke to the Capital-Journal. Putthoff, who is also director of basketball operations for the Topeka Officials Association (TOA), was asked to work with two male officials who had just finished working at a junior varsity game.
"I was shocked, immediately caught off guard. I said, 'If Michelle has to leave, I'm leaving with her,' and we all walked. As far as I'm concerned, I'm never coming back," he said.