Kurt Beathard resigned from his job as the offensive coordinator at Illinois State University after leaving a message on his door that read "All Lives Matter to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
Local newspaper, the Pantagraph, originally reported on the story last week and also reports that there were multiple incidents throughout the football offseason that preceded this episode with Beathard.
Earlier in the fall semester, Redbird athletes took exception to [Illinois State Athletic Director] Lyons using the term "All Redbird Lives Matter" in a video conference with athletes. Some ISU athletes temporarily boycotted team meetings, workouts and practices as a result and an "Athletics March for Black Voices" was held on Sept. 4.
They also called for a comprehensive plan to improve diversity in athletics administration. The Athletics Department in August released a plan.
The student-athletes at Illinois State obviously would not stand for the statement that the lives of all their teammates and fellow students matter. Having compassion and a desire for the well-being of all was a bridge too far for these athletes. So the administration was "put in their place" after this incident.
Apparently, the internal fighting at the football team still continues with Beathard leaving the team and taking heat for a Black Lives Matter poster being removed.
Three sources close to the football program also told The Pantagraph that a "Black Lives Matter" poster was taken down from the Illinois State locker room in the Kaufman Football Building recently. The sources asked not to be identified for fear of retribution from university officials.
Beathard said he didn't know what happened with the other poster and was not involved in removing posters in the locker room.
"That locker room crap is wrong. I took the sign down somebody put on my door. That's it," Beathard said. "I didn't take anything off that wasn't put on my door. I wrote the message."
Beathard claims he was only responsible for the "All Lives Matter" poster he posted on his door and has nothing at all to do with the BLM poster being taken down.
This infighting is happening all over the country, especially on college campuses, and the people in charge continue to capitulate to the anger and reactionary threats of those on the left. It is very discouraging to see administrations fold and coaches feel like they're better off leaving their jobs than having to bow to a mob.
