Kentucky Christian private school tasked students with ‘Letter to a Homosexual Friend’ assignment
Last week, Twitter user @kyjpdavis shared a screen capture of an assignment given to seventh grade students attending a Christian private school.
The assignment asked them to ‘write a letter to a friend of your same gender who is struggling with homosexuality’, then instructing them to ‘persuade [the friend] of the goodness of God’s design for them’.
The image had been photographed by a parent of a student at the school, who sent it to J.P. Davis, who then shared it online.
“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”, the assignment reads.
“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 PERESUADE THEM OF THE GOODNESS OF GOD’S DESIGN for them.”
The assignment asks them, in at least eight sentences, to explain ‘that homosexuality will not bring them satisfaction’, and ‘that you love them even though you don’t approve of their lifestyle!’
Davis, who originally posted the screenshots, said:
“The statistics speak for themselves on suicide among LGBTQ+ people, and these are seventh-graders that are being subjected to hate and division, and it’s not necessary,”
“I know it’s a Christian school, but that’s not my Christianity. That’s not my values. And that’s not what Jesus, if they want to make that argument, represented. Jesus didn’t go around asking people to judge and tell other people how they’re wrong and shame.”
Superintendent Darin Long with the Christian Academy said the assignment had been taken out of context and released the following statement:
“We have been made aware that a student assignment from one of our middle school bible elective classes has been posted on social media.”
Long went on to stress 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.”
After the tweet containing the screenshots began to build attention online, Davis shared in a follow-up post that he had, “Received hundreds of messages from current CAL students and alumni with very traumatic stories thanking me for bringing light to the abuse.”
“Some have sent me documents from classes. Do parents actually know what they’re forcing their kids to do? So damaging.”
Davis also shared a screengrab of a reply from another user, which said:
“in response to your affirming the sin of sodomy and the indoctrinating of this generation of precious young minds and your selfish assault against Christian academy in Louisville ky”
“I’m calling on you to repent of your hatred of God and His Holy word knowing one day you will stand before the Lord Jesus Christ and give an account of not only your life but also all those young children you corrupted with your perversion.
Earlier this month The Trevor Project, a suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people, revealed that a recent study showed 45% of LGBTQ youth in the US seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year.
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
Received hundreds of messages from current CAL students and alumni with very traumatic stories thanking me for bringing light to the abuse. Some have sent me documents from classes. Do parents actually know what they’re forcing their kids to do? So damaging.
— JP Davis (@kyjpdavis) May 14, 2022
My why. #stopthehate pic.twitter.com/Do8wkiHJvS
— JP Davis (@kyjpdavis) May 15, 2022