To the editor:

I understand the Lawrence Journal-World has a coaching dilemma, but those of us who support Coach Marian Washington and KU women’s basketball have no such dilemma. When I began attending KU women’s basketball games in 1993, I couldn’t find information about the women’s team in the Journal-World. I had to go to the University Daily Kansan or the Kansas City Star for coverage of the players, scores and game highlights. That is slowly changing. What isn’t changing is the Journal-World’s lack of support for the women’s program.

I realize that money is a big driver for all sports; hopefully, KU’s administration will not choose money at the expense of young athletes’ scholastic, emotional and social development. Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a meeting of KU women’s basketball alumnae. There were endless stories of how Washington inspired and molded their lives, how she taught them winning strategies for the basketball court and the boardroom. There were women recounting stories of raising their children utilizing the wisdom imparted to them by Coach Washington. How much is that worth?

For many years I worked in a profession that was historically, predominantly male. Women were never compensated at the same level as their male counterparts for the same work. Slowly that reality is changing. What is difficult for the Lawrence Journal-World editorial staff to grasp about the concept that people deserve the same pay for doing the same work?

Washington wasn’t compensated more than or equally with her male counterparts when her job description included being women’s athletic director, basketball coach, softball coach and volleyball coach simultaneously. For less than 10 of her 29 years at KU, Washington has received a salary equal to other coaches.

It has been a tough season. There have been plenty of good seasons. We aren’t giving up on KU women’s basketball or Washington. The inspiration for never giving up is the coach in charge, who after 29 years of fighting for everything that KU women’s basketball is, isn’t giving up either.

Mitzi E. McFatrich,

Lawrence