OUTMemphis is calling for changes at Briarcrest Christian School (BCS) after a class for adults at the school this week offered a “gospel response” to issues of gender and sexuality.
An email from the school made the rounds of Memphis social media earlier this week. The email promoted a class called “God Made Them Male and Female and That Was Good: a Gospel Response to Culture’s Gender Theory.”
“When Superman is re-written to be homosexual, when parents allow their children to choose their genders, and some schools are embracing students for being courageous for ‘coming out’ and considering transitioning … how do you respond biblically?” asks the email promoting the class.
The note states that Jason Ellis, BCS director of student ministries, and Eric Sullivan, high school principal, have already trained the schools faculty and staff on these issues.
The email drew fire online Monday. On Facebook, Kevin Dean, a former BCS student, said the school gives “Christianity a bad, bad name” and that he is “embarrassed to tell people I attended Briarcrest Christian School.”
“The only thing that will come from these ‘lectures’ is more LGBTQ+ children contemplating, attempting, or successfully dying by suicide,” Dean wrote. “I should know. I contemplated suicide throughout my schooling at Briarcrest because I was mercilessly bullied, attacked, and called a ‘f*ggot’ every single day. I am lucky to be alive, no thanks to the Briarcrest administration.”
The school had not posted any response to backlash on social media as of Tuesday morning. However, the code of conduct listed on its website, spells out the school’s stance on gender and sexuality issues.
“BCS upholds a traditional Biblical view of sexual morality (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5),” reads the statement. “Students shall not engage in inappropriate sexual behavior (including but not limited to premarital sexual relations, homosexuality, bisexuality, or transgender-related actions) on or off campus.
“Violation of this policy will result in either exclusion, a request that the student be withdrawn from the school, or a recommendation of expulsion to an expulsion committee of the board of trustees.”
So, while these students face almost certain removal from the school, students possessing a weapon at school “shall/may be terminated” from the school at the discretion of the administration. For a threat of violence, a BCS student “may” be terminated at the discretion of the administration. As for harassment, “inappropriate comments or actions of a sexual or racist nature, may lead to serious disciplinary action” at the discretion of the administration. However, as soon as a student is confirmed to be pregnant, “the student shall be terminated from the school immediately.”
OUTMemphis issued a statement on the BCS’s “discriminatory policies” Monday evening.
“Briarcrest’s code of conduct states that LGBTQ+ students will be expelled should their identity be discovered, and students are also subject to discipline if their parents support them in any way,” reads hate statement. “We condemn in the strongest possible terms this repugnant approach to youth education.
“We call on the administration of Briarcrest to open their eyes and acknowledge the harm they are inflicting. We call on the parents there to advocate for their children and peers by demanding changes or removing their kids from the school.”
OUTMemphis said 42 percent of LGBTQ+ youth considered suicide in the last year. Those numbers go up significantly if youth are in hostile school environments, said the group.
“Our message today is simple: to the students at Briarcrest who are closeted, curious, or seeking to be allies, you are already loved and welcome at OUTMemphis and in so many other places,” reads the statement. “While you may feel alone, while you may feel that the adults in your life have abandoned you and hate you, there are always allies closer than you expect.”
Resources from OUTMemphis:
Contact OUTMemphis at (901) 278-6422.
If you are considering suicide or believe that you could be at risk for self-harm, please call the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678.
Or call the Memphis Crisis Center line at (901) 274-7477.
