A Christian college in Brisbane, Australia has come under fire after asking parents to sign enrolment contracts that acknowledge homosexuality as a sin, along with bestiality, incest and paedophilia.
The document by Citipointe Christian College also stated that it would "only enroll the student on the basis of the gender that corresponds to their biological sex".
Pupils who disagree with the new contract will have their enrolment terminated.
Education Minister Grace Grace, who has a non-binary child, has called the matter "unacceptable".
"No student should be denied a world-class education because they are a member of the LGBTIQ+ community," she told ABC news.
The case has been referred to the Non-State Schools Accreditation Board following numerous complaints from parents and students at the college.
The Queensland Human Rights Commission has warned the Carindale school that forcing existing students to comply with the contract, which parents have been given a week to sign, could result in unlawful discrimination.
The college's statement of faith reads: "We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including but not limited to: adultery, fornication, homosexual acts, bisexual acts, bestiality, incest, paedophilia and pornography) is sinful and offensive to God and is destructive to human relationships and society."
Mother and former Citipointe teacher Helen Clapham Burns resigned from her post at the school in protest of the contract.
A petition by former Citipointe student Bethany Lau calls on the school to withdraw the contentious clauses. To date it has gained over 80,000 signatures.
Principal, Pastor Brian Mulheran released the following statement in response to the controversy: "We have always held these Christian beliefs and we have tried to be fair and transparent to everyone in our community by making them clear in the enrolment contract,' the statement said.
"We are seeking to maintain our Christian ethos and to give parents and students the right to make an informed choice about whether they can support and embrace our approach to Christian education.'
"Citipointe does not judge students on their sexuality or gender identity and we would not make a decision about their enrolment in the College simply on that basis."
