The California Lutheran High School, affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, recently expelled two girls whom the Principal suspected of being lesbians. "(The Principal) acknowledged that officials had seen no physical contact between the girls but said their friendship was "uncharacteristic of normal girl relationships and more characteristic of a lesbian one," the AP news report says.
My question is this: if such schools and churches constantly kick out all the gays and lesbians, how do they possibly know what characterizes a lesbian/gay relationship?
And the fear factor in this story is amazing. They expell two students without any evidence or proof or anything – just based on the suspicion that they have a lesbian relationship. What was it about their relationship that was so suspicious? And are other students – especially those that don’t quite fit into the mold of this narrow, conservative tradition – now afraid that their behaviors might be misconstrued into violations of the school’s ethical code?
Well, the AP did an alright job reporting this, but I only wish they had identified the denominational affiliation of the school. WELS Lutherans represent a very particular, narrow and conservative tradition in this country, not exemplary of most Lutherans and Lutheran institutions.
The Lutheran Zephyr 