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stever
Joined: 16 Nov 2004
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BBallFanCT729
Joined: 18 Nov 2004
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Location: UConn Territory
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styxfan22
Joined: 21 Feb 2005
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 Posted: 10/14/05 9:39 pm ::: |
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| One Final Four in 25 years? Considering what PSU lets her get away with, ypu'd think she'd been more successful. Bobby Knight won three NCs and still got canned.
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Carol Anne
Joined: 09 Apr 2005
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Location: Seattle
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| Posted: 10/15/05 6:23 am ::: Portland v. Harris |
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Jen Harris' roster page at James Madison University, shows her stats as a freshman and sophomore at Penn State. Two bullet points stand out:
That doesn't square with what Rene said yesterday. Don't like the truth? Lie! "Brave New World" comes to Happy Valley! 
The National Center for Lesbian Rights quickly pointed out Rene's revisionist policy.
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NCLR attorney Karen Doering said she expects to meet with Penn State attorneys early next week. Doering said she remains optimistic Penn State will conduct a thorough investigation but said she was surprised by Portland's personal accusations against Harris.
"Coach Portland can attempt to re-create history if she wants," Doering said from her office in St. Petersburg, Fla. "But in the long run that will not help her because there are scores of witnesses who will attest to the anti-lesbian policy. And her discriminatory behavior continues today."
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Amber Bland, the second of the three players fired by Portland after the loss to Liberty University, also spoke with the media yesterday.
"It doesn't surprise me to hear Rene said those things because it's stuff she said the whole season," said Amber Bland, who was dropped from the team along with Harris just hours after the Lady Lions' loss to Liberty in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.
"The coaches talked about kicking her off the team because of her attitude," Bland said about Harris. "I think she had a little bit of an attitude because she was constantly harassed by Rene. [Portland] really tried to get [Harris] off the team, but the seniors wanted her to stay because she wasn't a problem to anyone. I never saw her give a bad performance in practice, a game or in the classroom. http://www.pennlive.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/news/1129368133293350.xml&coll=1 |
I'm very glad that Amber Bland is speaking out against Rene, too. I hope some other former Lady Lions, gay and straight, join in. (Surely Penn State's team must be the farthest north women's team to be still called "Ladies"!)
Last edited by Carol Anne on 10/15/05 9:46 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Slovydal
Joined: 17 Nov 2004
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Location: Indianapolis, IN
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Curious
Joined: 20 Aug 2005
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Carol Anne
Joined: 09 Apr 2005
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Location: Seattle
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| Posted: 10/15/05 5:33 pm ::: |
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The Coalition of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Graduate Students shows athletic support (excerpts)
By KRISTA HAWLEY -- [Penn State] Collegian Sports Writer -- February 18, 1997
... lesbian, gay and bisexual athletes are often overlooked. Becoming a part of a close-knit team can mean more than training hard and listening to a coach. For some athletes, it can mean hiding who they are. In an effort to show support for these overlooked athletes, a group of fans drew some attention to themselves at the Lady Lions' game against Iowa Sunday. Instead of yelling "Hi, mom" into ESPN2's cameras or showing off their paw-printed cheeks, about 17 people wore T-shirts spelling out "We support PSU's gay and lesbian athletes." The effort was organized by the Coalition of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Graduate Students and involved members of the coalition, the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Student Alliance, Allies and others who wanted to show their support.
Lady Lion coach Rene Portland said she hadn't seen the rows of fans supporting lesbian, gay and bisexual athletes..."I have enough problems coaching my kids on the court," Portland said. "Anytime I look up, it's to see my mother."
http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/1997/02/02-18-97tdc/02-18-97d03-010.htm |
For RP commitment to basketball = not seeing people in t-shirts that read "We support PSU's gay and lesbian athletes." Not in 1997 and not in 2005.
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Carol Anne
Joined: 09 Apr 2005
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Location: Seattle
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| Posted: 10/16/05 7:34 am ::: "It's business as usual for Penn State's Portland" |
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As controversy swirls around her, she focuses on her basketball team.
"I just like basketball," Portland said minutes before heading into practice. "It has always been a salvation for me."
Since the NCLR contacted Penn State earlier this week -- a meeting is in the process of being scheduled -- a shadow has crept over Portland. And the coach was forthright with her team.
"I think we handled it well," Portland said. "We sat down and I talked to the team about the distractions that would be put in front of them. I think my team is very guarded about me. That's my main focus, players who play for Penn State right now. The players on the team are constantly asking, 'What can we do?'
"There have been different situations with people in our athletic department and, through it all, it has been, 'We are family' or 'We are Penn State' in good times and in bad. I think those of us that have been here, especially those of us who have been here for a long time, know we can count on that. That's what I'm counting on."
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05289/589572.stm |
Looks like Rene sees herself as a martyr for Penn State. Amazing!
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ThreeBall25
Joined: 21 Jan 2005
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| Posted: 10/16/05 12:59 pm ::: |
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| I'd really like to hear what Jess Strom has to say about all this...
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Carol Anne
Joined: 09 Apr 2005
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Location: Seattle
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| Posted: 10/16/05 2:04 pm ::: |
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| ryan2528 wrote: |
| I'd really like to hear what Jess Strom has to say about all this... |
Jess Strom is there, but I doubt she'll be talking with the media. I imagine Rene has all her staff bound and gagged.
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bluewolfvii
Joined: 08 Mar 2005
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| Posted: 10/16/05 4:45 pm ::: |
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| Looks like Rene sees herself as a martyr for Penn State. Amazing! |
At State College, Joe Pa is God and Rene a Saint under Joe Pa's Good Grace.
Rene believes she is bullet proof against charges such as this, and with good reason, e.g., three decades of doing things 'Rene and Joe Pa's way' with no interference from university administration. Most likely a court will decide if Rene and the Penn State A.D. are ultimately held accountable, because she has so far shown no willingness to compromise or signs of backing down.
Let's boo her and her Penn State team lustily at every away game this season.
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24duzitall
Joined: 19 May 2005
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| Posted: 10/16/05 7:40 pm ::: |
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| methinks she doth protest too much !
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Maida#44
Joined: 29 Sep 2005
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womens_hoops
Joined: 20 Nov 2004
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| Posted: 10/16/05 8:57 pm ::: |
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| Maida#44 wrote: |
| How long do we think Portland has left? |
too long. i bet she skates through this. and coaches for another 10 years.
i hope i'm wrong.
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Carol Anne
Joined: 09 Apr 2005
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Location: Seattle
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| Posted: 10/17/05 6:43 am ::: |
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| womens_hoops wrote: |
| Maida#44 wrote: |
| How long do we think Portland has left? |
too long. i bet she skates through this. and coaches for another 10 years.
i hope i'm wrong. |
Me, too. One consolation: no matter how this turns out, when Rene's recruiting high school players for Penn State, they all will know about her bigotry.
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| Today's news: Attorneys representing Penn State and former Penn State women's basketball player Jen Harris will meet via teleconference tomorrow afternoon to discuss possible legal action regarding Harris' release from the program, according to Harris' attorney Karen Doering....Some Penn State students also plan to take action tomorrow. A rally, organized by the Student Stonewall Coalition, will be held at noon on the ground floor of the HUB-Robeson Center to show support for Harris and "demand Rene Portland's dismissal from Penn State," according to a press release....There is a fear among Harris' representation that a personal back and forth between a coach and former player might ensue. Doering said Penn State has assured her that the process would not come to that -- Harris' word versus Portland's -- where the coach would have the advantage. "We're not playing on a level playing field here," Doering said....As the legal process unfolds, Harris, now a member of the James Madison University women's basketball team, has said she has felt an emotional toll because of the events up to now. "She's very hurt. It's very upsetting, but she expected this and knew it was going to be difficult," Doering said. http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2005/10/10-17-05tdc/10-17-05dnews-08.asp |
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00NDROCKS
Joined: 01 Sep 2005
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Curious
Joined: 20 Aug 2005
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| Posted: 10/18/05 7:46 pm ::: Re: "It's business as usual for Penn State's Portland&q |
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| Carol Anne wrote: |
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As controversy swirls around her, she focuses on her basketball team.
"I just like basketball," Portland said minutes before heading into practice. "It has always been a salvation for me."
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05289/589572.stm |
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Woe, does this mean Rene worships false Idols? That is a pretty serious problem for a devout Catholic.
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24duzitall
Joined: 19 May 2005
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Location: Kentucky
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| Posted: 10/20/05 8:09 pm ::: |
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how could anyone question harris' commitment to basketball...she stayed and continued to play with that sick bitch on her ass all the time. if she wasn't commited to the game she'd have left without worrying where she might end up. i know i would have left rather than be subjected to that kind of treatment.
could this kind of treatment be considered sexual harassment? she created an environment that was certainly hostile, created fear, and dealt with sexuality. does that fit? i know we have lawyers who post-what do you think?
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bluewolfvii
Joined: 08 Mar 2005
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| Posted: 10/20/05 8:21 pm ::: |
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This very recent article answers your question.
http://www.planetout.com/news/article.html?2005/10/20/1
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NCLR plans to cite Pennsylvania's and the United States' equal protection clauses in its lawsuit. The organization also plans to cite Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination.
"That's what this is," Doering asserted. "Discriminating against someone because of someone's conceptions of what a woman is supposed to look like. It has been successful at the high school level, but this might be the first time it is used at the college level." |
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Slovydal
Joined: 17 Nov 2004
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Location: Indianapolis, IN
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| Posted: 10/20/05 8:38 pm ::: |
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| 24duzitall wrote: |
| ... could this kind of treatment be considered sexual harassment? she created an environment that was certainly hostile, created fear, and dealt with sexuality. |
That's a good point, 24!
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pilight
Joined: 23 Sep 2004
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| Posted: 10/20/05 8:42 pm ::: |
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| 24duzitall wrote: |
| could this kind of treatment be considered sexual harassment? she created an environment that was certainly hostile, created fear, and dealt with sexuality. does that fit? i know we have lawyers who post-what do you think? |
I'm not a lawyer, but I know the answer to that is no. Title VII does not mention and was not intended to protect from discrimination based on orientation. The courts have very consistently ruled against such claims.
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24duzitall
Joined: 19 May 2005
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| Posted: 10/20/05 9:23 pm ::: |
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maybe i was thinking more in terms of the workplace. any action or behavior that creates a hostile environment -be it unwanted sexual advances,lewd remarks, or sexual jokes constitutes sexual harassment. at least that is what i understand it to be. seems to me this situation would fit. too bad they don't count scholarships as as pay for play.
regardless of the legality of my point, i hope that any player who has been in the portland regime and has been the target of this kind of harassment and unfair treatment would step up to help take her out of power. i also hope that those who weren't the targets would speak up in support of those who were.
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womens_hoops
Joined: 20 Nov 2004
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| Posted: 10/20/05 10:14 pm ::: |
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| pilight wrote: |
| I'm not a lawyer, but I know the answer to that is no. Title VII does not mention and was not intended to protect from discrimination based on orientation. The courts have very consistently ruled against such claims. |
that is not true, pilight. see the other thread. and see Oncale and Rene v. MGM.
orientation is not in the statute (the relevant statute here is Title IX, not Title VII, but they are the same in this respect). but the trick is that lots of times, discrimination on the basis of orientation is also discrimination on the basis of sex. so if there's "sex-stereotyping" harassment that involves sexuality and orientation, you can sue based on gender discrimination.
it's a complicated question, to be sure. the answer is maybe. and the courts have not consistently ruled against such claims.
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If I was treated the way Harris was by Coach Portland and fellow mates I would have a bad attitude myself......