Faith-based students feel unsafe, bullied
CLC has organized two important events on June 1 to push back against LGBT “Pride” Month.
First, a National “Pride” Flag Walk-Out Day in which parents keep their kids home from school for the day in protest of raising the sexualized symbol. Second, a one-hour PRAY-IN at the offices of Catholic Bishops along with other locations.
I need you to participate in these events so we send a powerful message to school boards… and spiritual leaders!
Jessica’s story
I want to share with you a real-life example of a Christian student who was subjected to feelings of fear, anxiety, humiliation and bullying because of a school-wide assembly that took place at her elementary school to honor the raising of the LGBT Pride flag.
The female student, whom we’ll call Jessica to protect her identity, was in Grade 8 at the time, in a Toronto public elementary school.
Jessica sent us her testimony, which she wrote out after the entire student body – more than 1,000 children from K to 8 – were forced to participate in an LGBT “Pride” flag ceremony.
The young girl was traumatized by the incident. From Jessica, the Grade 8 student:
“I was surprised when I heard there was going to be a school-wide ceremony for the raising of the pride flag. I thought for sure that they’d at least be a bit flexible with attendance for those who didn’t want to go because of religious concerns or other concerns. I was wrong.
I asked the teacher who was supervising my class at the time if we HAD to go and she said it was ‘mandatory.’ She didn’t even allow me to explain my reasoning about why I didn’t want to go.
We were brought down to the assembly at the front of the school as a class. I was feeling uneasy as I wasn’t sure what the assembly would involve or what I might be asked to do.
I also didn’t like that being there made me feel like I was supporting something that violates my faith.
There were a couple of speakers before the raising of the flag. When the time came for the pride flag to be raised, we were told to stand for this.
I panicked a little bit. I knew that standing meant that I was supporting this, or at least, hiding from what I really believe.
But sitting meant that I would be singled out. I was afraid that people would think I was a homophobe.
Although I don’t celebrate homosexuality, I wouldn’t by any means treat someone who is a homosexual differently. People can live their lives however they want.
But I couldn’t explain this to everyone at my school, so there were bound to be people who would think negatively about me for not standing.
As well as this, one of my close friends was the main speaker at this part of the assembly and a main member of the LGBTQ+ club at our school. I was afraid that her opinion of me would be changed and that she may feel personally insulted that I wouldn’t stand during her part of the assembly.
I decided that it wasn’t worth violating my faith for people’s opinions of me. I didn’t stand. But everyone else did. Some of my friends were like, ‘What are you doing?’
It was hard.
At the end of the assembly, the school played a song that had openly disrespectful lyrics insulting the Bible and Christianity. It was scary.
I hope I am never in another situation like that again.”
At just 14 years of age, she’s an inspiration. But, can you believe that this young girl was made to be a spectacle by her school in the first place? Made to choose between her faith and potentially being bullied?
How can anyone deny that this was ideological indoctrination by the school, behind parents’ backs? And it’ll happen all over the country in a great number of schools tomorrow.
We have to stop this intimidation of Christian and other faith-based students in its tracks.
Let’s ensure no more students are placed in frightening and humiliating situations like 14-year-old Jessica had to suffer.
Please participate in the National Pride Flag Walk-Out Day and in the peaceful Pray-In events we have planned for tomorrow, Thursday June 1st.
For life & family,
Jeff Gunnarson
National President
Campaign Life Coalition
P.S. CLC’s Jack Fonseca was interviewed yesterday on Liberty Coalition Canada’s podcast about our Walk-Out campaign. You can watch it starting at the 42 minute mark, here, although the whole podcast is worth watching.
P.P.S. Don’t forget to register to tell us you’ll participate in the Pray-In or National Pride Flag Walk-Out Day events by clicking here.
