A private Christian school in Florida asks students “participating” in gay or transgender lifestyles to “leave the school immediately” ahead of the coming school year.
Grace Christian, a parochial school located in Valrico, sent an email to parents in June informing them that students will only be identified by their “biological sex.”
“We believe that God created mankind in His image: male (man) and female (woman), sexually different but with equal dignity,” wrote school administrator Barry McKeen on June 6 with the subject line, “Important School Policy Point of Emphasis. … Please Read.”
“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,” the email continued.
While policies on gay and transgender issues are not new, the email reiterated that parents “have to agree to all policies and procedures before your student may start school in August.”
“Students who are found participating in these lifestyles will be asked to leave the school immediately,” the memo added.
One mother spoke to WFLA and said that she pulled her high school daughter, who identifies as lesbian, from the school following the email.
“I actually respect their opinion but my daughter’s wellbeing, right, and mental health is more important,” said the mom, who asked to conceal her identity for fear of harassment. “She was scared she was gonna open her mouth and expose herself … but she’s not scared anymore.”
In response to some of the backlash, the school posted a response video where McKeen cited scripture and doubled down that the policy will remain in place.
“It is true that a student can not come to our school … and be transgender or homosexual. This is rooted in scriptures,” he said in the video. “God has spoken on those issues, explicitly, aggressively, and we have had these policies in our school since day number one in the early 1970s. This is not new.”
Grace Christian was founded in 1975 by the congregants of Grace Community Church. The school describes itself as “a Christ-centered, college-preparatory school serving the Greater Tampa Bay area students that attend in grades Kindergarten through grade 12,” according to its website.
