Before becoming governor, Tim Walz was the coolest, most gay-friendly high school football coach imaginable

Before becoming governor, Tim Walz was the coolest, most gay-friendly high school football coach imaginable

You are currently viewing Before becoming governor, Tim Walz was the coolest, most gay-friendly high school football coach imaginable
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Tim Walz is a walking anomaly. The two-term Minnesota governor is a rare form of politician who doesn’t seem obsessed with acquiring power or money.

It was reported Wednesday that Walz and his wife don’t own a single stock, and sold their house below the $315,000 asking price. One of the deciding points in Walz’s favor for the veepstakes, sources told NBC News, was his “big dad energy.”

A former high school teacher, Walz coached football before getting into politics. At a raucous rally Thursday in Philadelphia, he bragged about taking his team from a winless record to state champs.

Though a state football championship is impressive, Walz’s lasting legacy is how he supported students off of the field. A Star Tribune story from 2018, which resurfaced Tuesday on social media, details how Walz started the gay-straight alliance at his rural high school… back in the 1990s!

That’s right: the football team’s defensive coordinator was also the head of the GSA way back in the day before gays could get married or serve openly in the military and casual homophobia was the norm.

An anomaly indeed…

“It really needed to be the football coach, who was the soldier and was straight and was married,” Walz told the Star Tribune.

He later expanded on his role with the group, saying students asked him to start the GSA in response to bullying.

“I had students come to me who were concerned there was an uptick in some bullying towards our gay and lesbian students. This is in the mid-90s. They asked if I would be interested in starting a gay-straight alliance group, and I said ‘absolutely,’” he said in an interview.

“You have an older, white, straight, married, male football coach, who’s deeply concerned that these students are treated fairly and there’s no bullying. And the idea that my players would be interested in coming to that and learn and to speak, to create a culture in a school that was welcoming, open and understanding was something Gwen and I always strove for.”

Walz took his experiences from the classroom with him to the governor’s mansion. Creating a universal school meal program, in which every student is entitled to free breakfast and lunch, is one of his signature achievements.

In the spirit of helping children, Walz also signed a bill that provides access to menstrual products for all students. Republicans have seized on that legislation, but it isn’t the flex they think it is.

As governor, Walz ensured that all girls have access to tampons and other vital products. Sounds like a pretty good thing, right?

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Walz’s support for transgender kids–he designated Minnesota as a safe haven for trans youth seeking gender-affirming care–matches up with his history as a teacher and coach. Coach Walz was interested in helping kids of all stripes.

One of his former players, a linebacker named Daniel Clement, told CNN’s Jake Tapper he credits Walz with motivating him to finish school.

“There’s no question in my mind I would not have finished high school without Coach Walz,” he said. “Him and I met at a pretty pivotal time in my life, at a time when I was kind of on the outs as far as school was concerned.”

“I wasn’t really attending class a whole lot, was really ready to take the next step and just stop going to school. But Tim Walz, he took the time. He took the the care. He pulled me aside often, and said, ‘Hey Dan, let’s give this a shot. Let’s keep comin’. He really need you on the football time.’ I never had attention or care from an adult teacher, male teacher, male role model at the time.”

Clement continued, “He’s been a great influence on my life. Again, one of my favorite people.”

It’s been reported that Republicans are cheering Walz’s selection, and desperate to portray him as a “far-left radical.” But so far, the line of attack hasn’t been effective.

Just ask Jim “Gym” Jordan, who tried to swipe at Walz for his support of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. Jordan was also a coach, though his wrestlers don’t speak highly of him. Jordan was an assistant on Ohio State’s wrestling team when a school doctor sexually assaulted hundreds of athletes and students.

The wrestlers on that team say Jordan failed to protect them…

It’s apparent that Walz’s record is overshadowing the GOP’s smears. In the 24 hours since Harris selected him as her running mate, they’ve raised over $40 million and counting.

That’s on top of the $300+ million that she raised in July… despite only beginning her candidacy July 21.

Coach Walz appears to be in the midst of running his best play yet. And everyone–gay or straight–is welcome to join him in the end zone.

Or in this case, the White House.

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