WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) -- As the debate about Myrtle Grove Christian School’s decision to ban homosexual students heats up both sides of the argument say the other needs to stop being a bully.
"Do unto others, and a value of inclusion, are the most important values,” said Chris Sgro of Equality NC. “This is absolutely not what we see that Myrtle Grove Christian Academy is doing."
Myrtle Grove Christian School recently made headlines for its new policy restricting children who are gay or who come from same sex families.
Members of the gay community say school leaders need to stop being bullies if they want to receive public tax dollars from the opportunity scholarship that starts in 2014.
"Our taxpayer money will be going directly to that school possibly,” said Ryan Burris of Wilmington Pride. “While a religious institution should be able to choose who they want to come to their schools, as a taxpayer myself, I don't think my money should towards funding their facilities."
But Tami Fitzgerald of the NC Values Coalition says she supports the school’s right to set their own standards, and that members of the gay community need to do their homework on where Myrtle Grove funding comes from.
"Myrtle Grove Christian School is a private school and they don't receive any government funding and even if they did North Carolina law, nor Federal Law, gives special rights to gay and lesbian students,” said Tami Fitzgerald of the NC Values Coalition.
Equality NC leaders say they will use their 150,000 members to put pressure on lawmakers in the Tar Heel state to change state laws.
WWAY tried to reach out to administrators at Myrtle Grove Christian School for comment but were told that we couldn’t speak with them.
