Boston Suburb Denies Church's Request to Open School Over Stance on Creationism, Sexuality

John Simmons | April 1, 2022
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The men that lived in Boston, Massachusetts in the 1770s played an invaluable role in forming the foundation of the United States of America, a country where religious liberty was integral to the founders' vision for the nation's future. Those same men would be appalled by what's going on near their city today.

The largely hispanic Vida Real church in Somerville, a suburb of Boston, applied to open a religious private school in September of 2021 called the Real Life Learning Center.

However, due to some of the church's religious beliefs on issues like creation and sexuality, the Somerville Public School Committee denied their request. Since then, the church has continued to face unwarranted pushback in opening up the school, prompting legal action from the First Liberty Institute (FLI) and the Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI), according to Fox News.

The committee said the following in response to the proposal:

The school’s position on homosexuality and creationism make it difficult to see how a thorough science and health curriculum is possible. The school’s approach to student services and counseling appears to devalue evidence-based psychology and its emphasis on approaches rooted in the belief that mental illness is caused by sin and demons is unscientific and harmful. … Overall, the school was entirely contrary to the values of SPS and the idea of educating the whole child as being inclusive.

Did you hear that? In the name of “being inclusive,” a church that wants to teach children a wholesome worldview that goes against the tide of the current educational system will not get that chance.

So what will make it more inclusive? Does the church need to go against their religious beliefs and teach that homosexuality is okay, provide puberty blockers to confused children, and teach that humans are nothing more that glorified monkeys? But if the Somerville Public School Committee took an honest look at their standpoint, they would realize they are actually being the opposite of inclusive by demanding the school adjust its policies.

John and Samuel Adams would be rolling in their graves.

Fortunately, with the help of the FLI and the MFI, the church is pushing back against the decision, citing that it's an egregious act of religious discrimination.

"It is illegal and unconstitutional for city officials to question the religious beliefs of Vida Real, let alone use those beliefs to stop the church from opening a school," president of the Massachusetts Family Institute Andrew Beckwith said in a statement first provided to Fox News Digital. "This is blatant religious discrimination. It’s time for Somerville officials to stop treating Vida Real unfairly and allow it to pursue the opening of a school."

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