Protecting Her From Herself
Welcome to Timberlake, Virginia. One of the people living here is Sunnie Kahle. She is eight years old and is a classic tomboy. She plays sports, she wears sneakers, she keeps her hair short.
And the Christian school she goes to was threatening to kick her out.
Sunnie lives with her adoptive grandparents, Doris and Carroll Thompson, and they got a letter from Timberlake Christian School saying that Sunnie was not fitting in with "biblical standards." "You're probably aware that Timberlake Christian School is a religious, Bible believing institution providing education in a distinctly Christian environment," the letter starts off. It then says that, because of the short hair and her clothes, students are getting confused about whether Sunnie is a boy or girl. Based on this, administrators can refuse to re-enroll her next year on the grounds that letting her back would constitute condoning sexual immorality, homosexuality, or alternative gender identity. Besides a bunch of cherry-picked Bible verses to reaffirm they have the moral high ground here, they close out saying, "We believe that unless Sunnie as well as her family clearly understand that God has made her female and her dress and behavior need to follow suit with her God-ordained identity, that TCS is not the best place for her future education."
TCS has pointed out to the press that they are simply asking the family follow the guidelines they set forth for all students.
The Thompsons have removed Sunnie from the school and are sending her to public school. It breaks their hearts because Sunnie sees the bus picking up her friends and going by every day, but they really have no choice.
Sunnie is learning the old lesson that some people will pick on you just because they have an excuse to. What a shame it's a Christian group she's learning it from.
And the Christian school she goes to was threatening to kick her out.
Sunnie lives with her adoptive grandparents, Doris and Carroll Thompson, and they got a letter from Timberlake Christian School saying that Sunnie was not fitting in with "biblical standards." "You're probably aware that Timberlake Christian School is a religious, Bible believing institution providing education in a distinctly Christian environment," the letter starts off. It then says that, because of the short hair and her clothes, students are getting confused about whether Sunnie is a boy or girl. Based on this, administrators can refuse to re-enroll her next year on the grounds that letting her back would constitute condoning sexual immorality, homosexuality, or alternative gender identity. Besides a bunch of cherry-picked Bible verses to reaffirm they have the moral high ground here, they close out saying, "We believe that unless Sunnie as well as her family clearly understand that God has made her female and her dress and behavior need to follow suit with her God-ordained identity, that TCS is not the best place for her future education."
TCS has pointed out to the press that they are simply asking the family follow the guidelines they set forth for all students.
The Thompsons have removed Sunnie from the school and are sending her to public school. It breaks their hearts because Sunnie sees the bus picking up her friends and going by every day, but they really have no choice.
Sunnie is learning the old lesson that some people will pick on you just because they have an excuse to. What a shame it's a Christian group she's learning it from.