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Union and community members raise inclusivity concerns after district kickoff at church
Summary
East Whittier City School District staff and a longtime Murphy Ranch employee said the district's "Under the Oaks" kickoff held at a Converge-affiliated church made some employees uncomfortable; the superintendent said a district survey of about 1,200 employees will be shared with unions and the district will consider accommodations.
East Whittier City School District officials heard objections from union leaders and a longtime school employee over the choice of a church as the venue for the district's back-to-school kickoff, an event the district called "Under the Oaks."
The United Educators (UE) president, who identified himself as Mr. Vogelmann and said he teaches at East Whittier Middle School, told the board the event's venue raised concerns because the church is affiliated with Converge and has doctrinal statements he said are exclusive. "If every interaction matters, we are excluding people right from the start," Vogelmann said, citing wording he read from the church describing homosexuality as "a result of the fall of humanity into a sinful condition." He said the union had not been consulted…
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