Nichole Williams says Life School Waxahachie terminated her because she’s a lesbian but there’s nothing she can do about it
DREAM DERAILED | Nichole Williams, shown in the Life School gym, had always dreamed of coaching high school girls basketball, a dream that was about to come true. But one day before basketball practice started, Williams was fired from Life School Waxahachie, and she says it’s because she is a lesbian.
JOHN WRIGHT |
Senior Political Writer
wright@dallasvoice.com
WAXAHACHIE — Ever since she played girls basketball in high school, Nichole “Nikki” Williams has dreamed of one day coaching the sport.
This year her dream was about to come true after she was named varsity girls basketball coach at Life School Waxahachie, a charter high school 30 miles south of Dallas.
Then, just one day before basketball practice began in October, Williams was abruptly fired.
The 26-year-old Williams, who also taught ninth-grade geography and was an assistant volleyball coach, filed a grievance alleging she was terminated based on her sexual orientation, which reportedly became known to school officials after her fiancée began attending volleyball games this fall.
“I feel like they just ripped it all away from me for absolutely nothing,” Williams said. “That’s the hard part, and that’s what makes me sick.
“The story is, we’re still being persecuted,” Williams told Dallas Voice.
“That’s a strong word, but it’s true. The fact that as teachers in a professional world, you still have to hide who you are, it’s not fair. I don’t think anybody should have to hide who they are.”
An administrator at Life School, which has 3,700 students at five campuses in North Texas, including one in Oak Cliff, denied this week that Williams was fired for being gay. However, citing privacy concerns, he refused to elaborate on the reason for her dismissal.
Unfortunately for Williams, she may not have any legal recourse.
Texas is one of 29 states that lack bans on anti-gay job discrimination, which isn’t prohibited by federal law, either. And, although case law generally protects gay teachers at public schools, experts say courts have ruled that those provisions don’t apply to charter schools, even though they’re taxpayer-funded.
In her initial grievance against Life School, Williams requested reinstatement. But she’s since given up on that and now merely wants the termination removed from her record so she can pursue her dream of coaching basketball elsewhere.
“Basically, you’re looking at a 26-year-old teacher who for the rest of her life has a black mark because she’s been terminated,” said Williams’ fiancée, Jen DeSaegher. “She’ll always have to check the ‘I’ve been terminated’ box for the rest of her career, and that’s not going to go over well.”
‘More than just a coach’
During her three years at Life School, Williams said she received positive performance evaluations, promotions and even a letter of commendation from the superintendent.
Williams was also very popular among both students and parents, despite the fact that they knew she was gay in conservative Ellis County.
About 100 parents and more than 50 students at Life School Waxahachie — which has a total enrollment of roughly 300 — signed a petition calling for Williams to be reinstated.
“She is a passionate teacher who profoundly affects our children’s lives on a daily basis,” the petition states. “We cannot afford to lose such a valuable teacher and coach.”
In response to the petition, along with a steady barrage of emails and phone calls, Life School administrators set up a meeting with parents this week. Eleven parents gathered in a classroom at Life School Waxahachie on Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 15, and demanded answers about Williams’ termination. But they got relatively few.
Charles Pulliam, Life School’s director of human resources, and Ena Meyers, principal of the Waxahachie campus, told parents they’re barred from sharing details about personnel matters and wanted to protect Williams’ privacy.
“We made the decision that was right for the kids,” said Pulliam, who asked the parents to trust the school with their children’s safety. “I really wish I could share more, but I can’t.”
Pulliam made vague references to the school’s mission statement and its “standards of excellence,” saying his decision to terminate Williams was based on “a global view.”
“I can tell you 100 percent, we did what we felt was right for Life School,” he said, calling the decision “painful.”
Although he provided no details, Pulliam confirmed to the parents that Williams was terminated based solely on an incident that took place on Thursday, Oct. 13.
According to Williams’ account of the incident, four volleyball players dropped by her classroom following school photographs instead of going to the remainder of their assigned class.
For Williams, it was a conference period, and she said she was in and out of the classroom. Williams maintains she repeatedly told the students they needed to go to their assigned class and that she wouldn’t vouch for them.
But the students didn’t leave, and they were later investigated for skipping class.
On Friday, Oct. 14, the students received one-day detentions.
On Monday, Oct. 17, Williams was placed on administrative leave, and on Tuesday, Oct. 18, she was terminated.
Williams acknowledged she should have reported the students.
“I expected to be in trouble and I knew I should have been,” she said. “But to be fired, I was shocked.”
The parents who signed the petition agreed, saying they feel the punishment was “extreme” and “disproportionate.”
At the meeting this week, parents complained that Williams was replaced two days later by someone who is “unqualified,” because he’s never coached basketball or girls sports. Williams’ replacement also recently resigned mid-year from an athletic director position in another district.
The parents also accused Life School officials of lying to their daughters, who were told after a volleyball game the same night Williams was fired that she was “moving on to other opportunities.” The parents said they only learned of Williams’ termination from their kids.
“She’s more than just a coach,” one parent told Pulliam and Meyers. “She loves her students.”
“I did not feel like my child was in any danger,” said another parent — a man wearing a cowboy hat, Wrangler jeans and work boots who spoke with a Southern drawl. “I wish the school had a lot more leaders like her.”
One parent asked point-blank whether Williams was fired due to her sexual orientation.
“What is her sexual orientation?” Pulliam responded.
“Lesbian,” the parent said.
Pulliam paused at length before saying softly, “Certainly I would never consider that.”
School says decision is final
Pulliam said later he wasn’t aware of Williams’ sexual orientation — even though it was highlighted in her grievance filed Oct. 25.
“I’ve only been here three months,” Pulliam told Dallas Voice in a phone interview Wednesday. “I really don’t know much about her other than what happened as part of this.”
Pulliam said sexual orientation isn’t included in Life School’s employment nondiscrimination policy. However, sexual orientation does appear in sections of the school’s Code of Ethics that govern employees’ conduct toward colleagues and students. Regardless, experts say the policies aren’t enforceable because Texas has no statute to back them up. And Pulliam denied that Williams’ termination had anything to do with the fact that she’s gay.
“I don’t want it to be about that at all,” he said. “It never has been, and I really think that’s just the wrong path. We don’t wish any harm on Ms. Williams whatsoever.”
DeSaegher, Williams’ partner, said Life School’s board of directors is made up of people affiliated with conservative evangelical institutions, including Dallas Baptist University, Southwestern Assemblies of God University and The Oaks Fellowship.
But Pulliam declined to discuss the backgrounds of board members.
“It really doesn’t make sense to talk about that stuff,” he said. “This is about Life School doing the right thing for our students and about us looking to protect Ms. Williams and her rights.”
Asked about his personal views on homosexuality, Pulliam said, “My personal opinion is not important here at all.”
Pulliam also reiterated what he told the parents the night before, that Williams’ termination is final and that the school won’t remove it from her record.
When parents pleaded with Pulliam on Tuesday to allow Williams to move on, he admitted he had the authority to remove the termination from her record but said he wouldn’t — “because I’m confident we did the right thing.”
After the meeting, parents expressed frustration.
“My reaction was, I really don’t feel like we got anywhere,” said Jennifer McCoy. “I feel like he was dodging all of our questions.”
McCoy has a son and a daughter who attend Life School Waxahachie. Her daughter, a junior who plays both volleyball and basketball, has attended Life School since fourth grade.
“I think that has a lot to do with it,” McCoy said when asked if she thinks Williams was fired because she’s gay. “Everything else, to me, it’s not adding up at all.”
Another parent, Wendy Williams, said she has four children who attend Life School, including a daughter who plays volleyball and basketball. Wendy Williams, no relation to Nichole, said her kids have attended Life School Waxahachie since it opened, but until now she’s never had a major issue with the administration.
“I think they tried to get rid of her because she’s gay,” Wendy Williams said. “They can’t say that, but I don’t see any other reasons.”
Wendy Williams said although she was raised “very conservative,” she doesn’t think Nichole Williams’ sexual orientation should be an issue.
“I don’t think it affected her coaching, and I don’t think it affected her relationship with the children,” Wendy Williams said. “I don’t think it matters.”
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition November 18, 2011.
This is not true. She got fired because she was writing passes for student’s skipping class and because she couldn’t teach.
im a student LSRO secondary and i think she was fired for her sexual orientation she was a great coach and teacher we will miss you ms. williams
I am one of coach williams athletes i played volleyball and basketball for her. I believe she is the best coach anyone could ask for. She is always here for us an she is irreplaceable. Some coaches push us to win but she pushes us to perfection. She someone who would do anything for us an that would never change. I cried for days when i found out she got fired. She pushed me so much an i improved alot over a lil amount of time. I really miss her and wish they would bring her back life school is not the same without her. She was a huge part of my life and would never leave me or the team for as the school told us “better oppurtunities” they wanted us to believe she just got up and left us when we know that was not the case. She has changed my life alot and was a big influence on me. She kept me out of trouble and also helped me with anything i needed. Coach williams is irreplaceable and nothing is the same without her. From the eyes of one of her athletes. Courtney McCoy.
as a Lesbian myself, and until we have the lawful protections again this type is discrimination, ive made the choice to not work for companies that are based on religious beliefs or have backing by religious groups that are contrary to my lifestyle. these places dont deserve our talents until they are ready to recognize us as equal. my gf wanted so badly to work for a group here in Dallas, that i wont name, that is antigay by its religious virtue. she would have worked with children. I told her to not even bother, they will love you and love your work with the kids, but as soon as they find out your gay…it will be a scandal and end up fired and have your name smeared by these people and then they will try to tag you as a predatory lesbian that was trying to sneak gay views into her teachings blah blah blah…or something crazy along those lines.. Its just not worth all the pain for her….and the kids.
Heather, she rated highly on all of her PDAS teaching evaluations and her TAKS testing scores were 98%. Further, she was promoted in the classroom from a middle school teacher to a HS AP teacher. The superintentent also sent her a letter highlighting her excellent leadership skills just a month previously. (Doesn’t sound like somone who can’t teach). As for writing passes, this is untrue. She told the students to leave her room and go to class. Then she left to run errands during her conference period. She never wrote kids a pass to skip class! And Lillian, you make such good points! In this situation, however, Life School is a publicly funded charter school that has a non discrimination clause (based on sexual orientation in its manual) and is run by state laws. Had Nikki realized that the “behind the scenes mentality” was so conservative though, and that this state-run school didn’t have to adhere to its bylaws re: employement practices (because there’s a loophope in the Charter School system), my guess is that she wouldn’t have taught there in the first place. I’m with you. Research where you work so you can be open and honest about who you are without fearing termination. (And Matthew & Courtney, you’re brave, good kids. Thanks for standing up for what’s right!!)
I think the school should be sued for calling it’s self a “Life School”. Welcome to real life there are gays everywhere….and that is all part of LIFE. But instead these homophobes think shielding these kids helps them…but all it does is helps to promote more bigotry and bullying for those who are NOT the same. The staff there must be hiding something deep within them just like Penn State had for years…..Did you know that Penn State woman’s basketball coach (Rene Portland) refused to let lesbian play on her team for 27 years and she was just let go in 2008…..mmmm…but yet the football coach got away with being with little boys for year as the head coach proudly stood beside his assistant for decades. There is something funny about ANY homophobic school board if you ask me.
This is dreadful. Citing privacy is code for “We fired her for being a lesbian”.
The only way to make a change for this type of discrimination is for the parents to pull their kids out of the school who preaches discrimination and bigotry to their children. When the pocket book hurts for the administrators, and when the students leave their school in mass, that is the only way they will learn the lesson to embrace tolerance and non-discriminatory actions, when the only person they are punishing is themselves.
Gays are not everywhere, they are less than 1% of the population and it was considered a mental illness into the 70’s and from pressure from the gay community the Psychological Board removed it as a mental illness. Today those same Psychologists and Psychiatrists now regret that. It is still a mental illness and unnatural! The school did the right thing we do not need to teach our children that this is acceptable behavior! It is not and wrong!
Bigotry at its best. Nichole is a hard working woman who just wanted excell in her career as a teacher and coach. When I worked at Life school she was about the business of teaching and was dedicated to that. Life School lost an extremely valuable asset and and put a negative light on what I thought was a quality educational Institution.
That was extremely stupid on their part.
I am seriously considering taking my child out of Life School.
@jen —-I truly sense that what you are saying is steeped in ignorance. This is how hate and discord develops. I challenge you to learn more about the LGBT community by sitting down and breaking bread them. I think you’ll be surprised that they are more productive to society than what you think.
God doesn’t make people just so they can be ostracized and segregated…….