A Christian school in Kentucky told students to explain how they would take a friend out of being gay in a homework assignment entitled “Letter to a Homosexual Friend.”
“Essay: Write a letter to a friend of your same gender who is struggling with homosexuality,” a screenshot of the middle school homework assignment from the Christian Academy of Louisville (CAL).
Related: Students get homophobic math assignment at British grammar school
“Assume that you have known this friend since Kindergarten, that you go to the same church, and that you have been pretty good friends over the years until now. This friend is your same age.”
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“The aim of the letter should be to lovingly and compassionately speak truth to the person you’re talking to in a way that does not approve of any sin. Instead, TRY TO PERSUADE THEM OF THE GOODNESS OF GOD’S DESIGN for them.”
“In at least 8 sentences, try to show the friend from the Bible, reason, and your personal friendship that God’s design for them is good; that homosexuality will not bring them satisfaction, that you love them even though you don’t approve of their lifestyle.”
The parent of a student at the school took a screenshot of the assignment and sent it to J.P. Davis, who shared it online.
“Their child is in this class at CAL and I’m one of the few out gay men that she knows and so understandably so she calls me and says what do I do, I don’t agree with this,” Davis told WLKY. “It’s just disappointing because I don’t think we should tolerate those kinds of teachings. I know it’s a private school, I know it’s a Christian school.”
“My Christian faith is about love and not hate. I’ve received dozens of messages from alumni of CAL thanking me and telling me their stories of trauma. Some of them are really emotionally upsetting.”
In a statement, CAL superintendent Darin A Long said that the assignment was taken out of context.
“This particular assignment, in context, was how a person could discuss homosexuality with a friend from a biblical perspective with compassion and love,” the statement said. “This hypothetical friend conversation was for our students to review the class discussions and their perspectives on the subject. Moving forward, we will review this assignment to ensure there is clarity in its purpose and language.”
Long stressed that CAL is “a Christian-based private school system that partners with families that desire a Christ-centered educational environment” and that they believe that “sex is a good gift of God, to be celebrated with the confines of the marriage covenant” which is “between one man and one woman.”
Modern day education assignment at Christian Academy of Louisville. Middle school. Write a letter to your homosexual friend explaining why it’s wrong. Shameful. #stopthehate pic.twitter.com/UdgXv3FEBA
— JP Davis (@kyjpdavis) May 13, 2022
One person responded to Davis with a letter that probably wouldn’t have gotten a good grade but that the friend may have actually appreciated.
Wrote my own letter to the student❤️ pic.twitter.com/nN5Na1FIGW
— Bevin Harde (@kershaw198) May 13, 2022
