Dark ages misogyny

When I saw this article, I figured they just had to be talking about an Islamic school. Nope.

In the interests of fairness, since we here at the Pool Bar are quick to point out the backwards tendencies of fundamentalist Islam, I have to post this. It seems a Catholic school near Topeka, Kansas operated by the St. Pius X Society objected to a female referee officiating a boys' basketball game on the grounds that "a woman could not be put in a position of authority over boys because of the academy's beliefs".

The Kansas State High School Activities Association said referees reported that Michelle Campbell was preparing to officiate at St. Mary's Academy near Topeka on Feb. 2 when a school official insisted that Campbell could not call the game.

The reason given, according to the referees: Campbell, as a woman, could not be put in a position of authority over boys because of the academy's beliefs.

Campbell then walked off the court along with Darin Putthoff, the referee who was to work the game with her.

"I said, 'If Michelle has to leave, then I'm leaving with her,"' Putthoff said Wednesday. "I was disappointed that it happened to Michelle. I've never heard of anything like that."

Fred Shockey, who was getting ready to leave the gym after officiating two junior high games, said he was told there had been an emergency and was asked to stay and officiate two more games.

"When I found out what the emergency was, I said there was no way I was going to work those games," said Shockey, who spent 12 years in the Army and became a ref about three years ago. "I have been led by some of the finest women this nation has to offer, and there was no way I was going to go along with that."

A Pool Bar toast to the other refs who refused to go along with this idiocy.