The school's mission always stressed inclusivity. The administration followed the school's values, which led to the institution's closure. Would you have withdrawn or continued to support this Christian school?
Conflict over what it means to be a Christian caused the closure of a school. Urban Christian Academy (UCA) is a private K-8 school in Kansas City, Missouri. The facility had 100 students. And described itself as providing "a tuition-free, high-quality, Christ-centered education for low-income students."
The institution stressed inclusivity. They noted that following Jesus "opens doors and makes room at the table." But last year, the academy went further. It added a paragraph to its website. Part of it read, "We are an affirming school. We stand with the LGBTQIA+ community and believe in their holiness. We celebrate the diversity of God's creation in all its varied and beautiful forms."
The website update prompted donors to stop contributing. Many cited their interpretation of Christianity as a reason to end donations. UCA anticipated a 50% loss in funding and made adjustments. But the discontinued financial support is 80%. The decline is too much to overcome, and the school will close its doors by year's end.
Kalie Callaway-George is UCA’s executive director and co-founder. She says the new language started the quick backlash. Days after the new website wording, eight churches withdrew their funding. Those donors provided 2% of the school's money. But the church members usually gave more.
The loss of their support was significant. In December 2021, the school raised $333,985 and a year later it gained $14,809.
Many donors sent letters about why they will stop giving money. Here is an excerpt from one of the messages. "Our greatest concern about the Accepting and Affirming stance is that it denies the Biblical definitions of sin and identity and thereby renders the grace of God meaningless."
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