Christian preschool sues California for suspending meal funding for its stance on gender and sexuality

A California Christian preschool decided to sue the state for religious discrimination and violation of the Constitution after the school had its funding for meals suspended because of its stance on gender and sexuality.

The Dayspring Christian Learning Center of the Church of Compassion, which serves nearly 90 students, participated for more than two decades in the California Food Assistance Program that helps feed low-income immigrant students.

However, a few months ago, the Department of Social Services sent a letter to the school denying their request to continue in the meal funding program. This is due to the educational institution's stance on marriage and sexuality.

According to department officials, if the school wants to return to the program it must "cease requiring individuals to sign or abide by the staff handbook, or any other employment policy, which specifically disallows lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender lifestyles as a condition of employment." The Dayspring's employee handbook states that staff should "behave in a Christian manner".

The Christian school chose to sue the state alleging that California is discriminating on the basis of religion and is in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments.

"Now the state is trying to enforce its beliefs about gender and sexuality onto the church. It’s transgressing constitutional boundaries and trying to tell the church what to think and believe," said Dean Broyles, senior attorney for the preschool.

Broyles also clarified that several families from the LGBT community have their children at Dayspring and are happy with the school. In fact, in a statement issued by the institution's director, Kelly Wade, they explained that the preschool caters to all families without having to replace any of their values.