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A photo of Jamie Kuntz Photo credit: queerty.com |
by CLAIRE THALKEN, examiner.com
According to ESPN news, linebacker Jamie Kuntz was booted off his college football team before even playing a game. A concussion prevented the freshman from suiting up for his first game, and a kiss from his much older boyfriend led to the player's dismissal.
Kuntz, 18, had enrolled at the North Dakota State College of Sciences on a partial football scholarship. The game against Snow College in Pueblo Colorado took place over Labor Day weekend.
Since he was unable to play, Kuntz was assigned to videotape the game for team review. He invited his 65 year old boyfriend to join him in the press box. Kuntz says they kissed when his team was down by 40 points.
It seems a teammate saw and reported the kiss to coach Chuck Parsons. When Parson confronted Kuntz about it he was told the older man was his grandfather. Feeling guilty, Kuntz later admitted the truth.
Shortly after, Parsons formally kicked Kuntz off the team. “This decision was arrived at solely on the basis of your conduct during the football game; and because you chose not to be truthful with me when I confronted you about whom else was in the box with you,” Parsons wrote. “Any conduct by any member of the program that would cause such a distraction during a game would warrant the same consequences.” Parsons cited Kuntz's behavior as violating the “conduct deemed detrimental to the team” specifically the team player manual's section on “lying to coaches, teachers or other school staff.”
Kuntz believes that the lie isn't the only reason. "I know if it was a girl in the press box, or even an older woman, nothing would have happened," he said. "If it was an older woman, I would have probably been congratulated for it from my teammates."
It seems coach Parsons is trying to avoid anticipated heckling from the LGTB community. Parsons recently joined the school's diversity council. The council's duties include organizing events for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students. English professor Sybil Priebe who heads the council said she hadn't heard much about the incident.
The school's president didn't know whether or not it was the first case of a lie leading to a dismissal, and backs Parsons' decision. School officials said they were investigating for similar cases.
Kuntz was forced to inform his mother about his sexuality. "I'm struggling with it,"she said. "I love Jamie, and I'm proud of him, but I know what the school did was wrong."
Kuntz refuses to give up his football career. He is considering becoming a walk-on at a university outside of North Dakota.
According to ESPN news, linebacker Jamie Kuntz was booted off his college football team before even playing a game. A concussion prevented the freshman from suiting up for his first game, and a kiss from his much older boyfriend led to the player's dismissal.
Kuntz, 18, had enrolled at the North Dakota State College of Sciences on a partial football scholarship. The game against Snow College in Pueblo Colorado took place over Labor Day weekend.
Since he was unable to play, Kuntz was assigned to videotape the game for team review. He invited his 65 year old boyfriend to join him in the press box. Kuntz says they kissed when his team was down by 40 points.
It seems a teammate saw and reported the kiss to coach Chuck Parsons. When Parson confronted Kuntz about it he was told the older man was his grandfather. Feeling guilty, Kuntz later admitted the truth.
Shortly after, Parsons formally kicked Kuntz off the team. “This decision was arrived at solely on the basis of your conduct during the football game; and because you chose not to be truthful with me when I confronted you about whom else was in the box with you,” Parsons wrote. “Any conduct by any member of the program that would cause such a distraction during a game would warrant the same consequences.” Parsons cited Kuntz's behavior as violating the “conduct deemed detrimental to the team” specifically the team player manual's section on “lying to coaches, teachers or other school staff.”
Kuntz believes that the lie isn't the only reason. "I know if it was a girl in the press box, or even an older woman, nothing would have happened," he said. "If it was an older woman, I would have probably been congratulated for it from my teammates."
It seems coach Parsons is trying to avoid anticipated heckling from the LGTB community. Parsons recently joined the school's diversity council. The council's duties include organizing events for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students. English professor Sybil Priebe who heads the council said she hadn't heard much about the incident.
The school's president didn't know whether or not it was the first case of a lie leading to a dismissal, and backs Parsons' decision. School officials said they were investigating for similar cases.
Kuntz was forced to inform his mother about his sexuality. "I'm struggling with it,"she said. "I love Jamie, and I'm proud of him, but I know what the school did was wrong."
Kuntz refuses to give up his football career. He is considering becoming a walk-on at a university outside of North Dakota.
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