Grace Christian School in Florida is asking all its gay, transgender or gender nonconforming students to leave and will only refer to students by their sex assigned at birth, according to an email obtained by NBC News.
The school’s administrator Barry McKeen sent the email on June 6 to parents outlining the school’s human sexuality policies. It told parents that they had to agree with the policies before their students could start the new school year.
“We believe that God created mankind in His image: male (man) and female (woman), sexually different but with equal dignity,” the email said. “Therefore, one’s biological sex must be affirmed and no attempts should be made to physically change, alter, or disagree with one’s biological gender — including, but not limited to, elective sex reassignment, transvestite, transgender, or non-binary gender fluid acts of conduct (Genesis 1:26-28). Students in school will be referred to by the gender on their birth certificate and be referenced in name in the same fashion.”
It continued: “We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, transgender identity/lifestyle, self-identification, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery and pornography are sinful in the sight of God and the church (Genesis 2:24; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; I Corinthians 5:1; I Corinthians 6:9; I Thessalonians 4:2-7). Students who are found participating in these lifestyles will be asked to leave the school immediately.”
One mother decided not to send her daughter, who identifies as gay, back to the school for her junior year after receiving the email. Though McKeen said the policy is not new, the parent said it is the first time she has ever heard of it and all of her children attended the school.
“I actually respect their opinion,” she said, “but my daughter’s wellbeing, right, and mental health is more important.”
Former students say there is an anti-LGBTQ culture at Grace Christian.
One former student who graduated last year and identifies as gay said there were times when anti-LGBTQ messages were expressed during chapel hours on school days.
She recalled McKeen “yelling about how if you’re gay you’re going to hell” and when he finds out who the LGBTQ students at the school were he was going to kick them out. Two other students corroborated her story.
