Courtney Day

The Mansfield (Ohio) News Journal

MANSFIELD, Ohio—More than 100 area pastors sent a letter last week to Richland County school districts and Ohio elected officials calling for schools to ignore a May mandate from the U.S. Department of Education, which allows transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity.

The letter states the pastors believe "there is no authority except from God" and the U.S. Department of Education's directive to school districts "defies objectivity and logic." It also "jeopardizes the privacy and safety of vulnerable women and children," they say.

The letter then cites several Bible verses that refer to civil disobedience and calls for schools to exercise civil disobedience rather than to "sacrifice the safety and privacy of women and children on the altar of political correctness."

Signed with the names of 102 local pastors, the letter was initiated by Richland Community Prayer Network leaders Ben Mutti and El Akuchie, according to the Rev. Thomas Hunt of Providence Baptist Church.

Mutti declined to comment Tuesday, responding to a phone call from the News Journal with an email saying, "Regarding the pastors correspondence sent to school officials, no additional comments will be made at this time. The pastors speak with one voice, the letter speaks for itself."

Pastors' Letter to Richland County schools

Hunt said he was contacted via email by the group and asked to lend his name to the cause.

"I lent my name because just from a religious point of view, in my opinion, the Bible tells us the Lord made man in his image, he made male and female," Hunt said. "Trying to be politically correct, we blur that line sometimes."

"When it comes to following man's law or God's law, I'm going to follow God's," Hunt said.

Many local school administrators were out of their offices Tuesday for a meeting at Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center, but those who responded to the News Journal's inquiries about the letter said they do not have or intend to create an official policy regarding transgender students' bathroom use.

"At Shelby City Schools, we have not added to, deleted from or changed our policy in any way in regards to the issue," Shelby Superintendent Tim Tarvin said.

Ontario Superintendent Lisa Carmichael echoed similar sentiments.

"Know that Ontario Schools does not have an official board adopted policy or protocol regarding transgender bathroom use," she said. "Federal mandate or no federal mandate, I do not see us adopting any type of policy in the immediate or near future. Like all 'hot topic' issues, we will proceed with caution and good common sense."

"The bathroom issue is a major shift in public thinking," Clear Fork Valley Superintendent Janice Wyckoff said. "We respect and support our clergy's opinions. At Clear Fork, we deal with this issue on a case-by-case basis."

Superintendents from Mansfield City and Lexington school districts could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Officials at Mansfield Christian and Temple Christian schools previously told the News Journal the private schools would not allow students to use restrooms that did not correspond with their biological sex.

Follow Courtney Day on Twitter: @courtneydaynj

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