Second Lady Karen Pence is teaching art
at a school that does not allow LGBT students or students with LGBT
families to enroll and refuses to employ LGBT individuals.
According to the
Washington
Blade, the Immanuel Christian School in Springfield, Virginia
states in its “parent agreement” that it “can refuse admission
to an applicant or to discontinue enrollment if the atmosphere or
conduct within a particular home, the activities of a parent or
guardian, or the activities of the student are counter to, or are in
opposition to, the biblical lifestyle the school teaches.”
“This includes, but is not limited to
contumacious behavior, divisive conduct, and participating in,
supporting, or condoning sexual immorality, homosexual activity or
bi-sexual activity, promoting such practices, or being unable to
support the moral principles of the school. (Lev. 20:13 and Romans
1:27.) I acknowledge the importance of a family culture based on
biblical principles and embrace biblical family values such as a
healthy marriage between one man and one woman,” the agreement
continues.
Those seeking employment must also
agree to these guidelines.
For employees, the school defines
“moral misconduct” as “heterosexual activity outside of
marriage … homosexual or lesbian sexual activity, polygamy,
transgender identity, any other violation of the unique roles of male
and female, sexual harassment, use or viewing of pornographic
material or websites, and sexual abuse or improprieties toward minors
as defined by Scripture and federal or state law.”
Pence previously worked at Immanuel
Christian School and said in a statement that she was looking forward
to returning to the classroom.
GLAAD criticized Pence's decision to
work at the school and called on Immanuel administrators to abandon
their anti-LGBT policies.
“It’s disturbing Second Lady Karen
Pence would put her stamp of approval on an institution that actively
targets LGBTQ students at one of the places where they should feel
the safest,” Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO at GLAAD, said in
a statement. “When young people are coming to terms with their
sexual orientation and gender identity, they deserve to have the
support of the adults in their lives. Often the arts are a safe haven
for these students, and let’s be honest – we wouldn’t have some
of the world’s most profound and impactful art if it weren’t for
LGBTQ people. As an art teacher, I suspect she is aware of that. She
should leave this teaching post and join the faculty of an
institution that values and supports the acceptance of all students.”
“Immanuel Christian School should
immediately reexamine its policy of open discrimination against LGBTQ
students and understand just how dangerous it is to further
marginalize young people who are struggling to come to terms with
their identity or have made the courageous choice to come out as
LGBTQ in a difficult environment,” Ellis added.