Should women be allowed to officiate boys games?

A story on today's cover of the Kansas City Star raises a question that probably hasn't come up in years.

Should women be permitted to officiate boys events?

It seems like a silly question in an age when girls compete in boys sports, women coach boys events, and men coach girls events. In the classroom, men and women stand at the head of classes often made up evenly of male and female students.

But according to the Star, a female basketball official was removed from a basketball game just minutes before tip-off a few days ago. The reason: It was a boys game, and she's a woman.

The Kansas State High School Activities Association is still looking into the reasons behind the host school's decision to pull her from the game. The school is St. Mary's Academy, a private religion-based school northwest of Topeka. And according to the school official that essentially fired the referee before the game started, the school doesn't believe women should hold positions of authority over boys.

The Star said school officials wouldn't comment to the newspaper. One question that begs to be asked: Is it OK, under the school's policy, for women to instruct male students in the classroom? According to the Star, it must be, because some St. Mary's classes that feature boys are taught by women.

The referee, Michelle Campbell, has plenty of support. The game's other referee — a man — walked off the court with her, and a backup referee — also male — declined to work the game because of the school's action.

It's startling to see a school cling to a belief system that prevents women from holding positions of authority over men, but it's good to see that not everybody buys into their lack of logic.