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Daughter of Lesbian Couple Expelled - Women Plan to Protest Outside Ontario Christian School
Daily Bulletin ^ | September 25, 2005 | Mason Stockstill

Posted on 09/26/2005 10:31:48 PM PDT by Bonaparte

Daughter of lesbian couple expelled
Women plan to protest outside Ontario Christian school

By Mason Stockstill, Staff Writer

ONTARIO - A Chino couple plans to picket a Christian school in Ontario on Monday because officials expelled their daughter after learning her parents are lesbians. Tina Clark said the superintendent of Ontario Christian High School gave her a letter explaining that 14-year-old freshman Shay Clark was being kicked out because her parents' sexual orientation is "inconsistent with a positive Christian life style."

"My sexual orientation should have nothing to do with her getting an education," Tina Clark said. "I'm the one that's gay. My daughter's not. Why should her civil rights be infringed?"

Shay was crushed by what happened earlier this week, which she said came as a surprise.

"I knew that I might have problems," Shay said. "But I never thought it would go that far."

Principal Tim Hoekstra and Superintendent Len Stob did not return repeated calls Thursday and Friday seeking comment. Phone calls to several school trustees also were not returned.

Clark and her partner, Mitzi Gray, have been together for 22 years. They didn't expect Shay would experience discrimination at the school because her older sister had attended Ontario Christian schools from sixth through ninth grade. Additionally, Shay said her friends knew she lived in a home with two mothers, and "it was never a problem."

On Tuesday, however, that changed. Gray said when she went to an unrelated parent meeting that Clark was unable to attend, school administrators were confused by her different last name.

The next day, both women were called in and asked point-blank if they were gay, Clark said. When they said they were, Shay was expelled.

"These are the same people that patted me on the back the Friday before that and asked me how my week had gone," Clark said.

The family's situation is not unusual, said Johnny Chagolla of the Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance, a gay-rights organization in San Bernardino. Often, he said, students at religious schools are more likely to face discrimination.

"In cases like this, there's a concern," Chagolla said. "A lot of (religious school officials) say they're very open and affirming, and then you see this, and it contradicts what they're saying."

A similar situation arose earlier this year at a Catholic school in Costa Mesa, when parents pressured administrators into barring gay parents after a gay couple enrolled their twin sons at the school.

Ontario Christian is affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church, a denomination that considers homosexuality a "condition of disordered sexuality," according to the Web site of the Christian Reformed Church of North America.

The church considers the act of homosexual sex to be a sin, which "must be condemned as incompatible with obedience to the will of God as revealed in scripture." However, according to the group's Web site, the church should help gay Christians and "give them support toward healing and wholeness."

As the family gathered outside the school for a news conference Friday, students and staff peered at the scene out of the windows. Receptionist Cory Overstreet said administrators would not be available to comment.

According to the letter signed by Stob, school officials were not aware of Clark and Gray's relationship at the time Shay was admitted.

But both women said that question was never asked, and that both of their names were included in all of the required paperwork.

"Had we known they were against homosexuality, we would never have sought this school out," Gray said. "It wasn't like we announced it to the world, but it wasn't a secret, either. We've always been a family."

Shay's educational future is unclear. At first, Clark had hoped there was a way Shay could return to Ontario Christian. But now, no one in the family backs that idea.

The family is looking for another private school Shay can attend, but the admissions process is typically long, and she might not get in anywhere this year. Public school will probably be the answer for now, Clark said. After she gets to a new school, the family may consider legal action, Clark said.

The expulsion was difficult for Shay, who said she is upset about being separated from her friends.

As for the school's leadership, "They should be embarrassed," Shay said.

- Mason Stockstill can be reached by e-mail mason.stockstill@dailybulletin.com , or by phone at (909) 483-9354



TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: christian; christianschools; expelled; homosexualagenda; lesbians
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Here it comes...
1 posted on 09/26/2005 10:31:49 PM PDT by Bonaparte
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To: Bonaparte
Why should her civil rights be infringed?

Simple, you ignorant beotch. There is NO CIVIL RIGHT to attend a private school.

Understand it now?

2 posted on 09/26/2005 10:35:12 PM PDT by clee1 (We use 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 2 to pull a trigger. I'm lazy and I'm tired of smiling.)
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To: Bonaparte
"Had we known they were against homosexuality, we would never have sought this school out,"

Like, duh, it's a CHRISTIAN school.

3 posted on 09/26/2005 10:39:41 PM PDT by Rytwyng
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To: Bonaparte

Ya, gotta wonder why the lesobs would send their daughter to a freakin' Christian school to begin with. I'm sure during their protest they'll say the administration is no better than the Ku Klux Klan and the Nazi's yet they will still whine and throw temper tantrums to get their kid allowed in at the next cross burning.


4 posted on 09/26/2005 10:40:29 PM PDT by Ajnin (I)
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To: Bonaparte

If I were gay, I would have been more careful when putting my child in a Christian school. It's like they set her up for humiliation.

I frankly don't think the child should have been expelled, but I wouldn't expect the teachers to pull any punches when talking about God's plan for families, either. And that has to hurt.


5 posted on 09/26/2005 10:40:43 PM PDT by I still care (America is not the problem - it is the solution..)
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To: Bonaparte

Now let me get this straight. A lesbian couple is concerned that their child should get a Christian education. Why don't they start at home?


6 posted on 09/26/2005 10:41:02 PM PDT by Mr Ramsbotham (Laws against sodomy are honored in the breech.)
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To: Bonaparte
"Had we known they were against homosexuality, we would never have sought this school out," Gray said.

Ms. Gray, little hint: It's a CHRISTIAN school. You knew dam* well it would consider homosexuality a sin. When my kids attended a Christian school, we had to sign an letter which clearly spelled out what the school believed. No way was this couple that naive.

7 posted on 09/26/2005 10:41:38 PM PDT by Siouxz ( Freepers are the best!!!)
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To: Bonaparte
"Had we known they were against homosexuality, we would never have sought this school out," Gray said. "It wasn't like we announced it to the world, but it wasn't a secret, either. We've always been a family."

Yeah, we didn't think that "Bible" thing that they use as some sort of guideline would actually have moral imperatives in it. I mean, all actions are subjective. The idea that we have laws based in Morality is so passe.

Of course, we get our understanding of the Constitution from the same source as most Americans -- Tim Serandon and the rest of Hollywood.

8 posted on 09/26/2005 10:41:56 PM PDT by freedumb2003 (Durka Durka Durka. Muhammed Jihad Durka.)
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To: Ajnin
Ya, gotta wonder why the lesobs would send their daughter to a freakin' Christian school to begin with.

I'd almost be willing to bet hard cash that it was a set-up.

They are going to sue. 

9 posted on 09/26/2005 10:43:44 PM PDT by Psycho_Bunny (If you snit at the hand that feeds you, you're probably a leftist.)
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To: Ajnin

lesob=French slang for lesbo


10 posted on 09/26/2005 10:43:54 PM PDT by Ajnin (I)
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To: Bonaparte

This was the whole purpose of this little exercise. The school says it requires a "Family Interview". They should have caught it.


11 posted on 09/26/2005 10:44:26 PM PDT by bahblahbah
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To: Bonaparte
Lots of discussion on this case here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1491526/posts
12 posted on 09/26/2005 10:46:17 PM PDT by fr_freak
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To: Siouxz; Bonaparte
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1489890/posts

Stob wrote that school policy requires that at least one parent may not engage in practices "immoral or inconsistent with a positive Christian life style, such as cohabitating without marriage or in a relationship," The Los Angeles Times reported in Friday's edition.

Sounds like a policy manual went home alright. Hmmmm...

13 posted on 09/26/2005 10:47:03 PM PDT by andie74 (Proud of my white trash heritage)
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To: Rytwyng

Sadly, many who call themselves Christians have no problem with homosexuality.


14 posted on 09/26/2005 10:48:25 PM PDT by SaveTheChief ("I can't wait until I'm old enough to feel ways about stuff." - Phillip J. Fry)
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To: fr_freak

Thanks, ff. I've been posting to it. In fact, I was just about to flag you to this thread.


15 posted on 09/26/2005 10:53:39 PM PDT by Bonaparte
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To: SaveTheChief

Today one has to spell out who is a CHRISTian and who is not.

The ones who are followers of CHRIST and His word are CHRISTians.

All the rest are people who identify themselves as Christians.


16 posted on 09/26/2005 10:56:07 PM PDT by Cindy
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To: SaveTheChief
Sadly, many who call themselves Christians have no problem with homosexuality.

But not the sort that send their kids to Christian schools, I think. They tend to be the really committed ones, not the lukewarm sodomite-coddlers. The latter often don't bother to have children anyway, whereas religious conservatives have the highest birthrate.

17 posted on 09/26/2005 10:56:16 PM PDT by Rytwyng
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To: Bonaparte
"Had we known they were against homosexuality, we would never have sought this school out"

Duh, can anyone say AGENDA?

18 posted on 09/26/2005 10:56:31 PM PDT by hope
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To: andie74

Not only were the parents made aware of school policy, they were required to sign an Article Of Faith and an agreement concerning the school association bylaws. I read them both at the OCS website.


19 posted on 09/26/2005 10:56:38 PM PDT by Bonaparte
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To: Bonaparte

I actually think this was a mistake. They should have kept her in school so that she could see the difference between Christian families and non. But seeing how they handled it I would think that this might not be such a good example. I had friends graduate from that school too.

Unfortunately many of us forget if Christ was here today he would be hanging out in the castro district of san fransico. AND btw I would most likely be sneering and saying under my breath.... why is he hanging out with those obvious sinners?
forgive me Lord.


20 posted on 09/26/2005 10:57:27 PM PDT by Walkingfeather
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