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A religious school in Florida stated they will only refer to students by the gender assigned at birth and declared any LGBTQ+ student "will be asked to leave the school immediately."
According to a letter obtained by NBC News, the school administrator of Grace Christian School in Valrico, Florida, sent parents of the children matriculating at the school an email with the subject line:
"Important School Policy Point of Emphasis. ... Please Read."
In the correspondence sent to parents on June 6, Grace Christian School Administrator Barry McKeen said students will be referred to by the "gender on their birth certificates."
\u201cGrace Christian School in Valrico, FL has asked all LBGTQ students to leave immediately. This is probably not what Jesus would do.\u201d— Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1661019600
The news station noted while McKeen's email mentioned "biological gender," the website for the National Institute of Health defined "gender" as "socially constructed and enacted roles and behaviors," whereas "sex" referred to "biological differences between females and males."
McKeen sent the following message before the start of the new school year.
"We believe that God created mankind in His image: male (man) and female (woman), sexually different but with equal dignity."
"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."
\u201c@RonFilipkowski Christian conservatives may be the end of this American experiment.\u201d— Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1661019600
\u201c@notcapnamerica I despise FL Christian nationalism and the hate for anyone who isn't white and male.\u201d— chris evans (@chris evans) 1661126011
McKeen went on to cite scripture, which he said condemned "elective sex reassignment, transvestite, transgender, or non-binary gender fluid acts of conduct."
"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)."
\u201c@RonFilipkowski When Republican "Christians" do and say this kind of thing, they're not only telling LGBTQ kids that they're "lesser" and unwanted. They're telling their own straight kids that they only love them if & because they're "normal."\n\nALL kids hear that message.\nhttps://t.co/zEU1Kgvcly\u201d— Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1661019600
\u201c@RonFilipkowski LGBTQ youth have higher rates of suicide because they are stigmatized in society. They are 4 times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers.This is a serious problem because they just want to live their life. Just like everyone else. This is incredibly cruel and sad.\u201d— Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1661019600
\u201c@RonFilipkowski @1Progressivism No, Jesus wouldn't. Clearly, the school has nothing to do with Christianity. I wouldn't let my kids within a mile of it.\u201d— Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1661019600
McKeen continued by citing the anti-LGBTQ+ school policy.
"Students who are found participating in these lifestyles will be asked to leave the school immediately."
\u201c@RonFilipkowski Absolutely disgusting, nobody should be discriminated against for their sexual orientation.\u201d— Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1661019600
\u201c@RonFilipkowski Christians have evolved into the most hateful hypocrites.\u201d— Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1661019600
\u201c@notcapnamerica Sigh. I just don\u2019t see how hating ppl like this & treating ppl like this is bringing them closer to God or belief. I don\u2019t see how turning ppl away in such a hateful manner honors Christ or how any of these actions can considered to be Christ-like.\u201d— chris evans (@chris evans) 1661126011
The policy prompted at least one parent to transfer her 16-year-old daughter to a different Christian-based private school where she was assured by the school's owner:
"God loves everybody."
You can watch a news report here:
While the news station was unable to get a response from McKeen after reaching out to him, he responded to NBC's article with a video statement in which he confirmed school policy does not allow students to be homosexual or transgender.
McKeen also confirmed an email was sent to parents on June 6 reminding them of the existing policy shared by other similar religious schools.
He said:
"It is true that a student can not come to our school ... and be transgender or homosexual. This is rooted in scriptures."
"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."
\u201c@RonFilipkowski I went there for kindergarten. They still had corporal punishment and required parents to use a paddle on children. My mom pulled me out when they required her to do so for me to return to class after getting in trouble. Horrible place that no one should send their children to.\u201d— Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1661019600
He added:
"We are not a hateful group of people. We don't hate students who are of a particular persuasion."