District Must Allow Lesbian Teacher To Coach

By Jeff Archer

A federal judge has ruled in favor of a Utah teacher who claimed she was denied a coaching position after her school's administrators learned she is a lesbian.

In his Nov. 25 decision, U.S. District Judge Bruce Jenkins wrote that the 20,000-student Nebo district violated Wendy Weaver's free-speech rights when it told her not to discuss her sexual orientation. The school also violated the U.S. Constitution's equal-protection guarantee because it did not treat other staff members the same way, he wrote.

"A lot of [gay] people are still afraid about coming out in the school setting, and it may take a while before this makes a difference," said Ms. Weaver, 41. "But...