Second lady Karen Pence, pictured here with husband Mike Pence, in a statement on Tuesday said she is "excited to be back in the classroom and doing what I love to do, which is to teach art to elementary students." | Christopher Jue/Getty Images Politics Karen Pence to teach at school that bans gay students, parents, employees

Second lady Karen Pence will teach art part time at a Christian school in the Washington suburbs that does not allow gay students, parents or employees to be part of its community.

Pence will teach elementary art two days a week at Immanuel Christian School in Springfield, Virginia, her office announced Tuesday. The second lady previously taught at the school for more than a decade when her husband, Vice President Mike Pence, was a member of Congress.


"Mrs. Pence has returned to the school where she previously taught for 12 years," Pence's spokeswoman Kara Brooks said in a statement. "It's absurd that her decision to teach art to children at a Christian school, and the school's religious beliefs, are under attack."

The second lady, who is an artist, has most recently illustrated "Marlon Bundo's Day in the Life of the Vice President," which was written by her daughter Charlotte. Marlon Bundo is the name of the Pence family's pet rabbit.

In Immanuel Christian School's "parent agreement," it states that the school can refuse admission to an applicant "if the atmosphere or conduct within a particular home, the activities of a parent or guardian, or the activities of the student are counter to, or are in opposition to, the biblical lifestyle the school teaches."

The parent agreement's language was first reported by HuffPost.

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The agreement goes on to state that it includes "participating in, supporting, or condoning sexual immorality, homosexual activity or bi-sexual activity, promoting such practices, or being unable to support the moral principles of the school."

"I acknowledge the importance of a family culture based on biblical principles and embrace biblical family values such as a healthy marriage between one man and one woman," the parental agreement continues. "My role as spiritual mentor to my children will be taken seriously."

The employee application also states that applicants must "understand that the term ‘marriage’ has only one meaning; the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive covenant union as delineated in Scripture."

The agreement also lists disqualifying qualifications, including "heterosexual activity outside of marriage (e.g., premarital sex, cohabitation, extramarital sex), homosexual or lesbian sexual activity, polygamy, transgender identity, any other violation of the unique roles of male and female, sexual harassment, use or viewing of pornographic material or websites, and sexual abuse or improprieties toward minors as defined by Scripture and federal or state law.”

Pence's husband, Vice President Mike Pence, has in the past come under fire for his views on the gay community. The vice president has previously expressed support for the controversial practice of gay conversion therapy, voicing his support for federal funding to treat people "seeking to change their sexual behavior."

Karen Pence in a statement on Tuesday said she is "excited to be back in the classroom and doing what I love to do, which is to teach art to elementary students."

“I have missed teaching art, and it’s great to return to the school where I taught art for twelve years," the second lady said in a statement.