Grade 2 girl expelled from Christian school over crush on another girl, mom says

A private Christian school in Oklahoma allegedly kicked out a Grade 2 student for telling another pupil she had a crush on her.

On Jan. 21, the student’s mom delanie Shelton received a call from rejoice Christian School in Owasso telling her to pick up 8-yearold Chloe following an “incident on the playground,” she told NBC News.

While out on the playground, Chloe told another girl she had a crush on her. It’s not clear how the school found out, but staff immediately removed Chloe from the playground and sent her to the principal’s office, CNN reported.

When Shelton arrived, the vice-principal asked how she feels about “girls liking girls.”

“I said, ‘Well, if I’m being honest with you, I think it’s OK for girls to like girls,’ and I mean, she looked like disgusted and surprised at my answer,” Shelton said.

The principal then asked Shelton where Chloe learned “this kind of language about the word ‘gay.’ ”

Shelton said learning about homosexuality is unavoidable as many kids’ shows have gay couples. “unless you completely shelter your children, it’s just part of life.”

School officials told Shelton to take her daughter home and keep her home the next day too. The experience left Chloe in tears when the mother and daughter returned home.

Shelton said, “She was crying and just asking me if God still loved her, and, you know, if she was wrong for feeling the way that she does.”

The situation left Shelton heartbroken as she had to reassure Chloe that God loves her and always will.

“you know, a school that’s supposed to be teaching specifically God’s love and grace and forgiveness, and no matter what, to make an 8-yearold question if God loves her is just not OK,” she said.

The next day, the school’s superintendent told Shelton that rejoice would be “ending their partnership” with the family, including Shelton’s 5-year-old son, because of the family’s belief.

The school handbook appeared to be updated following Chloe’s expulsion, but in both versions there is no mention of same-sex relationships.