Second Lady of the United States is working at a bigoted school

Karen Pence, the second lady of the United States, returned to teaching art this week, accepting a part-time position at a private Christian school that does not allow gay students and requires employees to affirm that marriage should only be between a man and a woman.

The website of the school, Immanuel Christian School, which enrolls kindergartners through eighth graders at its campus in Springfield, Va., details its religious beliefs and expectations of both students and their parents, as well as those who wish to work there. The school’s employment application requires candidates to describe their faith in Jesus Christ, affirm that they are a born-again Christian and vow to adhere to specific standards in their personal and professional lives.

The eighth item on the application’s “Articles of Employment,” which requires applicants to sign their initials next to a list of beliefs, outlines Immanuel Christian’s definition of marriage and stances on sexual identity.

“I understand that the term ‘marriage’ has only one meaning; the uniting of one man and one woman,” it reads, adding that certain “moral misconduct” would be disqualifying, 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.”

From NYT

>THE Ben Reilly< wrote:Karen Pence, the second lady of the United States, returned to teaching art this week, accepting a part-time position at a private Christian school that does not allow gay students and requires employees to affirm that marriage should only be between a man and a woman.

The website of the school, Immanuel Christian School, which enrolls kindergartners through eighth graders at its campus in Springfield, Va., details its religious beliefs and expectations of both students and their parents, as well as those who wish to work there. The school’s employment application requires candidates to describe their faith in Jesus Christ, affirm that they are a born-again Christian and vow to adhere to specific standards in their personal and professional lives.

The eighth item on the application’s “Articles of Employment,” which requires applicants to sign their initials next to a list of beliefs, outlines Immanuel Christian’s definition of marriage and stances on sexual identity.

“I understand that the term ‘marriage’ has only one meaning; the uniting of one man and one woman,” it reads, adding that certain “moral misconduct” would be disqualifying, 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.”

From NYT

Well, it's a religious school, so it's not surprising that they have religious guidelines. I think the same amendment that protects journalists, protects people's right to worship as they choose.

But should the wife of a vice president of a secular country be working at such a place?

>THE Ben Reilly< wrote:But should the wife of a vice president of a secular country be working at such a place?

Every president pulls the religion card. Most are just bullshitting. In this case Pence's old lady believes it, so at least she's not a hypocrite.

It makes zero difference to me if someone is religious or an atheist. As long as she is not using her position to harm people that don't support her version of religion, I'm cool with it.

Maddog wrote:

>THE Ben Reilly< wrote:But should the wife of a vice president of a secular country be working at such a place?

Every president pulls the religion card. Most are just bullshitting. In this case Pence's old lady believes it, so at least she's not a hypocrite.

It makes zero difference to me if someone is religious or an atheist. As long as she is not using her position to harm people that don't support her version of religion, I'm cool with it.    

She draws a paycheck from a business that denies employment and education to gay people.

>THE Ben Reilly< wrote:

Maddog wrote:


Every president pulls the religion card. Most are just bullshitting. In this case Pence's old lady believes it, so at least she's not a hypocrite.

It makes zero difference to me if someone is religious or an atheist. As long as she is not using her position to harm people that don't support her version of religion, I'm cool with it.    

She draws a paycheck from a business that denies employment and education to gay people.

So does everyone that works there. It's basically a church for Christ's sake. I'm guessing there are a lot of churches that won't hire a gay person. I'm sure there are gay businesses that won't hire overly religious people. To each their own.

Maddog wrote:

>THE Ben Reilly< wrote:

Maddog wrote:


Every president pulls the religion card. Most are just bullshitting. In this case Pence's old lady believes it, so at least she's not a hypocrite.

It makes zero difference to me if someone is religious or an atheist. As long as she is not using her position to harm people that don't support her version of religion, I'm cool with it.    

She draws a paycheck from a business that denies employment and education to gay people.

So does everyone that works there. It's basically a church for Christ's sake. I'm guessing there are a lot of churches that won't hire a gay person. I'm sure there are gay businesses that won't hire overly religious people. To each their own.

That's where you and I disagree. I don't think businesses should have the right to be bigoted.

>THE Ben Reilly< wrote:

Maddog wrote:

So does everyone that works there. It's basically a church for Christ's sake. I'm guessing there are a lot of churches that won't hire a gay person. I'm sure there are gay businesses that won't hire overly religious people. To each their own.

That's where you and I disagree. I don't think businesses should have the right to be bigoted.

Well, a private school isn't really a business, nor is a church.

And you are right, I agree with the right of a Jew to refuse service to a Nazi or a gay person to refuse service to a homophobe.

Maddog wrote:

>THE Ben Reilly< wrote:

Maddog wrote:

So does everyone that works there. It's basically a church for Christ's sake. I'm guessing there are a lot of churches that won't hire a gay person. I'm sure there are gay businesses that won't hire overly religious people. To each their own.

That's where you and I disagree. I don't think businesses should have the right to be bigoted.

Well, a private school isn't really a business, nor is a church.

And you are right, I agree with the right of a Jew to refuse service to a Nazi or a gay person to refuse service to a homophobe.

I don't agree with those things though.

>THE Ben Reilly< wrote:

Maddog wrote:

Well, a private school isn't really a business, nor is a church.

And you are right, I agree with the right of a Jew to refuse service to a Nazi or a gay person to refuse service to a homophobe.

I don't agree with those things though.

That's because you're not as pro choice as me.

Maddog wrote:

>THE Ben Reilly< wrote:

Maddog wrote:

Well, a private school isn't really a business, nor is a church.

And you are right, I agree with the right of a Jew to refuse service to a Nazi or a gay person to refuse service to a homophobe.

I don't agree with those things though.

That's because you're not as pro choice as me.

No, I love choice.

What I don't love is the idea of a society in which people can post signs on their businesses like "Whites Only" or "Jews Only" or "Blacks Only."

I understand that hate is the reason we still have some segregated institutions, but I'm not in favor of private companies excluding any group of people.

>THE Ben Reilly< wrote:

Maddog wrote:


That's because you're not as pro choice as me.

No, I love choice.

What I don't love is the idea of a society in which people can post signs on their businesses like "Whites Only" or "Jews Only" or "Blacks Only."

I understand that hate is the reason we still have some segregated institutions, but I'm not in favor of private companies excluding any group of people.

You can't have choice, if people can't exclude some of the choices.