At least five teachers walked out of their classrooms the first week of school at King’s High School in Shoreline, Seattle, in protest of the interdenominational Christian school’s alleged anti-gay policies, The Seattle Times reports.
The teachers, who feel they had no choice but to leave, say they were told to disavow same-sex relationships within the school and within their own lives. They also accused CRISTA Ministries leader, Jacinta Tegman, of spouting anti-gay language. CRISTA Ministries is the school’s parent organization.
“When it comes to sexual expression the Bible teaches us that sexual intimacy is reserved between a marriage between one man and one woman . And we, as a faith-based Christian organization uphold that belief and teaching, ” Tegman reportedly said. “We hire people who profess to be Christians and that they would uphold the teachings of the Bile. But we serve anyone regardless of their position. If they want to be here, we want them to be here.”
Some parents took their kids out of school in protest as well. Ruthie Mogg was set to begin her senior year when her parents took her out, saying that they didn’t want to support a school that espoused such beliefs.
“They’re hurting students and they’re excluding a huge group of people who do not feel valued or that they can be themselves because of what’s been said, ” Mogg told local news outlet KIRO7. “There are a lot of transgender, gay and bi, students at King’s still. One transgender guy I was close with and I’m thinking who is he going to be able to go and talk to , and know who is in his corner.”
Read The Seattle Times’ full report.
Featured image via screen grab/KIRO7
