Texas Tech, located in conservative West Texas, has suspended their head men’s basketball coach following a player complaint that the coach shared a Bible verse with him that was considered racially insensitive by the school. Coach Mark Adams said he was trying to encourage one of the players and was talking to him about being “coachable” he noted that it was a conversation between just himself and the player.

Adams said it was “a private conversation about coaching and when you have a job, and being coachable. I said that in the Bible that Jesus talks about how we all have bosses, and we all are servants,” Adams added. “I was quoting the Bible about that.”

Adams continued saying he explained his behavior but did not apologize for quoting scripture, “One of my coaches said it bothered the player,” Adams told Stadium. “I explained to them. I didn’t apologize.”

According to The Federalist, Texas Tech Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt made the decision to suspend Adams Sunday. Adam’sAdam’s comments, according to the university, were “inappropriate, unacceptable, and racially insensitive.” The school took Adam’s conversation with the student about everyone having a boss and focused on a slave/master narrative, saying Adams encouraged the student ” to be more receptive to coaching and referenced Bible verses about workers, teachers, parents, and slaves serving their masters.”

Is Texas Tech concerned about the good in Adams, encouraging the player to be teachable and reminding him everyone has a boss? Or are they more concerned about cultivating a hyper-sensitive environment where players are encouraged to be offended?

Texas Tech is calling for Hocutt to write a formal reprimand, Adam’sAdam’s suspension, and an investigation into Adams’Adams’ “interactions with his players and staff.”

Tech has named Corey Williams as the interim head coach.

Adams was hired to work as a head coach at Tech in April of 2021. In his first year coaching the men’s basketball team, he secured 27 wins, the most any first-year coach has had in Tech’s basketball history. Under his coaching, Tech made it to the Big 12 Finals and the Sweet 16.

In February, Texas Tech was in the spotlight after National Association of Scholars (NAS) senior fellow John Sailer published “How ‘Diversity’ Policing Fails Science” in the Wall Street Journal, exposing how Texas Tech’s Department of Biological Sciences used diversity statements as a requirement for new candidates applying for faculty positions. After being exposed, Texas Tech quickly announced it had “immediately withdrawn this practice” and related “evaluation rubrics.” The university also declared it would initiate “a review of hiring procedures across all colleges and departments.”

 

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