PHILADELPHIA: Catholic High School Fires Coach Over Gay-Bashing Attack

One of the suspects in last week's brutal mob gay-bashing of two gay men has been fired by the Philadelphia Catholic high school where he was a basketball coach. Most of the attackers are believed to be former classmates at the school. Via NBC Philadelphia:

Police say the man, who has not been officially charged, is a person of interest in last Thursday’s assault on two gay men. Police are in the process of interviewing several persons of interest after they released surveillance video and photos of a group of men and women who may have been involved in the attack. Sources told NBC10 some of the alleged attackers were alumni of Archbishop Wood Catholic High School in Warminster, Pa. A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia told NBC10 that one of the persons of interest was also the assistant basketball coach at Archbishop Wood. “He was not a teacher at the school but serving as a coach on a contract basis. He was terminated this evening and will not be permitted to coach in any Archdiocesan school,” the spokesperson said. “We expect all those who work with students in our schools to model appropriate Christian behavior at all times.”

The school has released a statement denouncing the attack.

Earlier today, Archbishop Wood High School became aware that some of its former students were allegedly involved in the assault of two men in Center City last week. This afternoon, administrators communicated with the entire Archbishop Wood school community to make it emphatically clear that the school does not, under any circumstances, tolerate or condone the violent and hateful behavior displayed by those who took part in this senseless attack. Administration also stressed that Catholic schools are centers of learning where students are expected to treat each other in a Christ-like manner at all times and that everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. The actions of those who took part in the attack are reprehensible and entirely unacceptable. They are not an accurate reflection of our Catholic values or of Archbishop Wood High School.

(Tipped by JMG reader Str8 Grandmother)