Christian School Reserves Right to Expel Students With LGBT Siblings

Prospective students may want to read the fine print when applying to Trinity Academy.

The private Christian high school in Wichita, Kan., maintains it has the right to expel students with LGBT siblings in its "Statement of Understanding," an agreement form signed by applicants and parents prior to admission.

The form was published online to the blog Patheos, where it was submitted by "someone with a connection" to the school.

The statement outlines a list of required "beliefs and practices," which includes standard dogma: devotion to Christ and the teachings of the Bible, and abstinence from sex outside of marriage. Yet the final and lengthiest bullet point on the form regards acceptance of LGBT people, which the school considers "counter to the standing of a Biblical lifestyle."

Here is the full clause:

Given the debate and confusion in our society about marriage and human sexuality it is vital that Trinity families agree with and support the school's traditional, Christian understanding of those issues. Therefore, when the atmosphere or conduct within a particular home is counter to the school's understanding of a biblical lifestyle, including the practice or promotion of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) lifestyle or alternative gender identity, the school should have the right, in its sole discretion, to deny the admission of an applicant or discontinue enrollment of a current student.

Under these restrictions, any young person who identifies as LGBT, is an ally, or has an LGBT family member could be rejected or expelled from Trinity Academy.

Beneath this bullet point, there are three signatures required: "mother's," father's," and "student's," which also excludes the possibility of nontraditional families.

See the full form here.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Trinity as a Catholic school. The school is Christian, but not Catholic.