The private elementary school where Vice President Pence’s wife will teach art prohibits LGBT students and faculty, according to the school’s employment application and parent agreement.
The Washington Post reported that Immanuel Christian School in Springfield, Va., requires potential employees to pledge that they believe marriage is between a man and a woman and that they do not engage in “homosexual or lesbian sexual activity” or “transgender identity,” according to the employment application.
The document lists a series of standards for employees, asking them to confirm that they adhere to born-again Christian beliefs.
{mosads}Robert Tuttle, a professor of law and religion at George Washington Law School, told the Post that the school’s language regarding sexuality is typical for conservative Christian schools. He noted that Karen Pence’s school choice is within her rights.
One section of the employment application asks candidates to agree that “the term ‘marriage’ has only one meaning; the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive covenant union as delineated in Scripture.”
Another section asks applicants to affirm that they know they would be disqualified if they engage in “moral misconduct” such as “heterosexual activity outside of marriage (e.g., premarital sex, cohabitation, extramarital sex), homosexual or lesbian sexual activity, polygamy, transgender identity, any other violation of the unique roles of male and female, sexual harassment, use or viewing of pornographic material or websites, and sexual abuse or improprieties toward minors as defined by Scripture and federal or state law.”
The school’s policies were first reported by HuffPost.
A clause in the Immanuel Christian School’s parent agreement says the school “reserves the right” to refuse admission to or discontinue enrollment of a student if their activities are “in opposition to the biblical lifestyle the school teaches.”
“This includes, but is not limited to contumacious behavior, divisive conduct, and participating in, supporting, or condoning sexual immorality, homosexual activity or bi-sexual activity, promoting such practices, or being unable to support the moral principles of the school,” the agreement states. “I acknowledge the importance of a family culture based on biblical principles and embrace biblical family values such as a healthy marriage between one man and one woman.”
Mike and Karen Pence are evangelical, born-again Christians.
A spokeswoman for Karen Pence told the Post that the second lady previously taught at the Immanuel Christian School when Mike Pence was a member of Congress.
“It’s absurd that her decision to teach art to children at a Christian school, and the school’s religious beliefs, are under attack,” spokeswoman Kara Brooks said.
Karen Pence is planning to serve as an art instructor twice a week at the school through May, the White House announced Tuesday, her first day in the role.
“I have missed teaching art, and it’s great to return to the school where I taught art for twelve years,” she said in a statement.
Updated at 1:46 p.m.