Title: Coach for the Lord Article Post by: gymforlord on July 20, 2007, 03:06:47 PM This article came out several months ago, but felt it worth sharing! Duane
Jr. College Coach Resigns After Religious Signs Removed By The Associated Press ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. (AP) — Central Alabama Community College baseball coach Don Ingram resigned after the school removed two signs bearing religious messages from the outfield fence. The 8-foot by 12-foot signs, sold to sponsors for $1,000 apiece, were taken down after the community college received complaints because of their religious nature. An individual paid for a sign reading "John 3:16" that was sponsored by the school's Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter. The second sign, sponsored by Prospect Baptist Church, read: "True success is finding out what God wants you to do, then doing it." "I resigned because I will not compromise my commitment to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ," Ingram said in a letter mailed to his latest signing class. He added that he didn't fault school administrators for the decision. Ingram had coached the Trojans for the past eight years. He will remain as coach and athletic director until his contract expires on Aug. 31. He will then serve as an ex-officio member on the board choosing his replacement. CACC president Linda McGuirt ordered the signs removed on March 1. She cited Alabama State Board of Education policy stating that, "The use of facilities shall be compatible with the philosophy, functions, and objectives of the institution." Dr. Amelia Pearson, provost and dean of instruction, said the outfield fence of a public institution wasn't the appropriate place for such messages. She said defending against a potential lawsuit wouldn't be the proper use of public funds. "We appreciate his position on this and he appreciates ours," Pearson told The Alexander City Outlook in a story Thursday. "It's a very amicable situation. He's not hostile towards us and we're not hostile toward him in the slightest. He just felt like that's what he needed to do." Ingram, a member of Prospect Baptist Church, said he felt like he needed to take a stand for his beliefs. "I just felt like in this situation, God was pushed back and that's not a position he needs to be in," Ingram said. "We have to be willing to stand up for what is right. That's why I'm taking this stance." |