In a disturbing story from Sullivan, Indiana, a teacher is joining a group of students, parents and other Christians in the community in calling for a prom that bans gay students from attending.
WTWO-TV reported that the group met at Sullivan First Christian Church on Sunday to plan for creating a prom that is seclusive to straight students as an alternative to the regular prom at Sullivan High School.
“We don’t agree with [homosexuality],” said teacher Diana Medley in the news segment. “It’s offensive to us.”
But showing a differing of opinion, Jim Davis, a Christian who lives in Sullivan, said that even Jesus did not condemn anyone.
“He comes here to save the world, not to condemn it,” Davis said. “Love them as a person, you don’t have to love what they do because they may not — I mean, the gays may not like the bad things you make mistakes at.”
Medley, however, disagreed because she believes that homosexuality is a choice rather than a matter of inborn nature.
“I don’t believe they were born that way,” she said. “I think life circumstances made them choose that. I think God made everybody equal.” She continued, “I have kids come to me because of their sexual preference. And they know I don’t agree with it, but I care about you. And the same thing for special needs. God puts those people in our life for special reasons.”
Without acknowledging Medley’s comparison of gay youth with people who have “special needs,” the reporter then asked Medley if she thought “gay people had some sort of purpose in life.”
Medley replied: “I don’t. I personally don’t. I’m sorry. I just — I don’t understand it.”
Local pastor Bill Phegley said that he supported the straight prom proposal because Christians in Sullivan have gone silent too long in regards to their opposition to homosexuality.
“Christians have always been prepared for a fight, but Jesus Christ gave us armor for the front, not the back,” Phegley said. “We aren’t running no more.”
LGBT columnist and activist Dan Savage weighed in on the story and in a column on Sunday, calling for people to speak out in response to Medley’s comments.
“Let’s pause here to grieve for all the special education students in Sullivan, Indiana,” Savage wrote. “Students with learning disabilities have it hard enough without getting stuck with a mentally challenged special ed teacher.”
Following the publication of Savage’s piece, a page endorsing the straight prom disappeared from Facebook.
Watch the WTWO-TV story in the video below.
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