News/Commentary

Oberlin College coach banished to ‘no contact with students’ role after objecting to trans athletes

September 13, 2023 | | Print Article

Oberlin College women’s lacrosse coach Kim Russell, who was booted from her position after taking a stance against transgender athletes competing in women’s sports, has been given a new job that has no contact with students.

(Video Credit: Fox News)

“I have been taken out of the role of coach, which is what I’ve done for 27 years,” she sadly said on Fox News Tuesday. “I’ve been a P.E. teacher, a coach and a teacher of programs of wellness, yoga, all sorts of things, kickboxing… and [been] asked to take a role as employee wellness program manager, which would have no contact with students and be creating things – which is paperwork.”

Russell has been a coach at the woke college for five years. She has been harassed and disparaged by administrators and players after insisting that women’s sports are actually for biological women. She was hammered after sharing her opinion on social media regarding transgender swimmer Lia Thomas’ NCAA championship win in 2022.

“Unfortunately, you fall into the category of people that are kind of filled with hate in the world,” Natalie Winkelfoos, associate vice president for athletics, informed Russell in a recorded conversation that the coach kept and then played on “The Ingraham Angle” last week.

“It’s acceptable to have your own opinions, but when they go against Oberlin College’s beliefs, it’s a problem,” Creg Jantz, senior associate director of athletics, told Russell as well.

Russell asserts that she never broke any rules. Her removal from students and punishment appears to be politically motivated and could potentially be grounds for a lawsuit.

“There were no rules that I was breaking. I was speaking my belief, my opinion,” she told host Laura Ingraham, contending she was exercising her right to free speech.

“When I took that to the college with a letter from my attorney, I said, ‘If I am breaking university policy, please tell me what that policy is. Please do so in writing and, if you’re going to fire me for breaking that policy, please do it now,'” Russell told the administrators.

While speaking with hosts Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino, Russell said that she had planned on coming forward about all this a year ago. However, she felt she was too emotional at the time and did not want to lash out because she was hurt and angry over the incident.

“I waited until I could do it from a place of love and kindness and for what I would say is the greater good,” she stated.

The coach has not spoken to Winkelfoos or Jantz since the story broke in August. She did speak to the athletic director who offered her a new position. One where she would be a glorified paper-pusher.

This has not deterred Russell from fighting for Title IX and women in sports.

“I am so passionate about this because the reason we have these opportunities to play and coach and to do the things we do is because of the women who came before me, who fought for Title IX, who fought for us to have these opportunities,” she noted. “And I don’t think that the younger generation even understands that these opportunities weren’t here years ago.”

She also pointed out that if women’s sports weren’t for biological women, then there was no point in having them.

Oberlin College gave a statement to Fox News insisting that Russell has not been fired and still works at the college. However, they did not address pigeonholing her in a new position that has no contact with students.

“Freedom to express one’s views is a cornerstone of our democracy and is certainly important to our Oberlin College community,” Oberlin College also said in a statement given to “The Ingraham Angle.”

There was a big “but” attached to that declaration, however. The college commented that staff should “reflect upon any potentially negative posts and the impact they could have upon your ability to effectively perform the roles and responsibilities of your job.”

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