A same-sex couple plans to sue a San Diego, California, Christian school for adhering to the tenets of Christianity.
Mt. Erie Christian Academy will soon find itself tangled in civil-rights litigation because it discontinued the kindergarten enrollment of a 5-year-old girl being raised by two women.
A woman who only wishes to be identified as Sheena told KGTV-10 Sept. 25 her child was not permitted to return to the academy days after the school year started. Her wife, Lashaune, is in the U.S. Navy and deployed.
Sheena told the ABC affiliate she was called into a pastor's office Sept. 4 and informed of the school's decision.
"They told us, ‘oh this is not about your child,’ but it is about my child," said Sheena, the station reported. "If we knew from the beginning that this was unacceptable, they didn't condone or believe in this, if it was such a big deal, we would have never started her off there. I would never put my child's emotional well-being in an unstable setting like that."
Mt. Erie Christian Academy's handbook, which was updated in June, details exactly what the Christian school believes when it comes to homosexual relationships:
"Mt. Erie Christian Academy is a religious, Bible-believing institution providing education in a distinct Christian environment, and it believes that its biblical role is to work in conjunction with the home to mold students to be Christ like. On those occasions in which the atmosphere or conduct within a particular home is counter to or in opposition to the biblical lifestyle that the school teaches, the school reserves the right, within its sole discretion, to refuse admission of an applicant or to discontinue enrollment of a student. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, living in, condoning or supporting sexual immorality; practicing homosexual lifestyle or alternative gender identity; promoting such practices; or otherwise having the inability to support the moral principles of the school (Leviticus 20:13a; Romans 1:21-27; Matthew 19:4-6; I Corinthians 6:9-20).”
Sheena said the family is now looking for a lawyer who will file a civil rights lawsuit against the school.
"What does our family life have to do with anyone else? Like no one's gonna be in danger," Sheena said.
"This type of policy is out of touch with reality," said Cathy Sakimura, deputy director and family law director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, or NCLR, when asked for comment.
San Diego attorney Eugene Iredale did not concur with NCLR, telling KGTV private religious institutions like Mt. Erie have a right not to associate with those who do not hold its members' beliefs.
"Religions and religious institutions, that do not in their activity receive public money, have the right to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation if that is part of their religious tradition," Iredale told the station.
Iredale told the station he believes similar lawsuits will be brought in the future against religious organizations until the issue is addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court.
A woman who only identified herself as "Kailyn" told KGTV she was the director of Mt. Erie, but would only say of Sheena's situation, "The Bible says homosexuality is a sin. We don't condone any sinful lifestyles."