Citipointe Christian College has issued an “expression of regret” two years after asking parents to sign a new enrolment contract stating that homosexuality is “sinful”.
The contract was withdrawn in February 2022 after community backlash, and the school’s principal Pastor Brian Mulheran resigned after the controversy grew.
The college acknowledged on Sunday that statements in the contract “were distressing to members and allies of the LGBTIQA+ community”.
“We regret any distress or concern which was caused to students, parents and guardian of students or prospective students of the College, which includes those within the College community that are members of the LGBTIQA+ community, and their families and their allies,” a statement on the college website said.
The statement was a result of a mediation between Christian Outreach Centre, which runs the school, and parents who referred it to Queensland Human Rights Commission.
The settlement appears to be a comprehensive win for parents, some of whom withdrew their children from the school to protest against its treatment of LGBTIQA+ students.
In a joint statement, the parents said they were happy with the result.
“We are hoping as a result of the settlement that a situation such as the enrolment contract will not happen again at the College or any other faith-based school,” the statement said.
“We believe that Christian faith is compatible with caring for LGBTIQA+ students.”
As part of the agreement, the school provided a donation to a charity that provided training on youth mental health issues, though the sum and the charity’s name weren’t disclosed.
A controversial contract
The controversy erupted in early 2022 after parents objected to a request to sign the contract, which some said included “extensive” revisions to the original contract they had signed with the school.
The parents were particularly angry about being give one week to sign the document, or face the prospect of their children being excluded from the school.
As the controversy grew, former students came forward to say how the school’s devout Christian messaging had eroded their sense of self-worth.
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In an opinion piece published by the ABC amid the controversy, concerned parents accused the school of redefining the Christian faith in a way had had made it “impossible for many Christians to remain associated with the school.”
“We believe that God loves all people regardless of their sexuality, gender identity, or other characteristics,” the article said.
Parent and former Citipointe teacher Helen Clapham-Burns, who resigned over the matter, said on Sunday she was happy the school had made a public statement of inclusion.
“While I believe we have a right to religious freedom, this must be balanced with the right to feel safe,” Ms Clapham-Burns said.
“Christian families produce children that are part of the LGBTIQA+ community. They are loved. They are precious. They are here to stay.”
Calls to strengthen the Anti-Discrimination Act
Jo Sampford, director and principal solicitor of LGBTI Legal Service, which advised parents in the matter, said the settlement was a result of Queensland’s strong anti-discrimination laws.
But she said the Anti-Discrimination Act could be stronger and called on the state government to follow through on its commitment to pass a revised act to further protect human rights.
“Queenslanders should be rightly proud of these laws, but there are still gaps in protection and opportunities to strengthen protections and streamline complaint processes,” Ms Sampford said.
“Importantly, there are no equivalent protections for LGBTIQA+ teachers, who can be fired for who they are and who they love.”
A new anti-discrimination bill closed for community consultation in March, and according to the Queensland government website, all submissions were being reviewed and considered.
But while some support the changes, a coalition of religious groups has opposed some measures, saying they’ll stifle religious freedom and inflame “culture wars”.
Ali Kadri, the chief executive of the Islamic College of Brisbane, told the ABC last month that given the shortage of teachers in the state, few religious schools were in the habit of denying employment to teachers who did not share their religion.
“What this bill proposes is very vaguely changing the rights we have to require our staff members to follow certain ethos and values while they’re in our institution,” Mr Kadri said. “It’s trying to solve a problem which doesn’t exist.”
Premier Steven Miles said in May that the government would take onboard the concerns of Queensland’s religious communities when drafting the bill.
But Ms Sampford said when it came to strengthening Queensland’s anti-discrimination bill, there was no time to waste.
“Community members and organisations have contributed thousands of hours to consultations on these laws, but we have yet to see the bills. Two years on from the report, and with the election drawing closer, the window to introduce these laws for the benefit of all Queenslanders is closing,” Ms Sampford said.
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