US: Texas school accused of discrimination for turning away three-year-old with lesbian parents
A lesbian couple in Texas have said their three-year-old son was turned away from a Montessori private school because of the director’s religious beliefs.
According to ABC News WFAA, Tracy and Dawn Keller were initially told they could enroll their son Landry at the New Beginnings private school until it later reversed its decision.
Tracy said the school’s director Shamain Webster called her an hour after visiting the school, and said: “We are not going be able to enroll Landry in our school because it’s against my religion, and we don’t live that way.”
“We knew this day was going to come. You can’t prepare for it though… to be rejected,” she added.
Dawn said she had asked the teacher while visiting: “Do you have a religious affiliation?”
The teacher reportedly said: “No, we have all kinds of people here.”
She also said the teacher told her it “wouldn’t be a problem” that her son had two mothers.
“We know there are some schools that we can’t go to,” Dawn added. “And, you know what? We just go someplace else. But the call was pretty devastating.”
Following media enquiries from News 8, the school quickly reversed its decision.
Ms Webster said although she had turned the couple down, her father, who owns the school, disagrees with her views.
She added he “would like to allow them to submit an application.”
The couple said although they were grateful, they would be looking elsewhere.
Dawn said: “It’s obvious this is not a place for him.”
