When one heads southwestward in Virginia, once you pass Charlottesville, with the exception of Roanoke, much of the state is little better than "Deliverance" county. Oh, it is scenically beautiful and all of that, but much of the population gives socially backwards and ignorant a new meaning. Among this sea of backwardness is nestled Timberlake, Virginia, south of Lynchburg - is Lynchburg a world of batshitery in its own right since it is the home of Jerry Falwell's Liberty University - which is the home of Timberlake Christian School. The school rightly finds itself the butt of news coverage across the country after 8 year old Sunnie Kahle (pictured above) was expelled for being perceived as being gay because she doesn't dress with the requisite amount of femininity. Decent, moral people would be embarrassed to be affiliated with such a school, but since this region of Virginia is a Republican stronghold, ignorance and bigotry are worn like a badge of honor. CBS12.com has coverage. Here are details:
Sports, sneakers, and short hair; it's what makes 8-year-old Sunnie Kahle unique. It's also what had her removed from Timberlake Christian School. Her grandparents pulled the plug on her time there after they said she was no longer welcome.
The family received a letter telling them that if their eight year old granddaughter didn't follow the school's "biblical standards," that she'd be refused enrollment next year. She's out and in public school now.
Sunnie Kahle has short hair and a huge heart, and as far as her grandparents are concerned, she is a completely normal little girl.
"She cries every morning to get on the bus, she cries when she comes home because she wants to go back to Timberlake Christian with her friends," said Doris Thompson.
Doris and Carroll Thompson are Sunnie's grandparents. They adopted and raised the little girl and took her out of Timberlake Christian School when they received a letter from the school's K-8 Principal.
"You're probably aware that Timberlake Christian School is a religious, Bible believing institution providing education in a distinctly Christian environment," read Doris from a part of the letter.
The letter goes on to say that students have been confused about whether Sunnie is a boy or girl and specifies that administrators can refuse enrollment for condoning sexual immorality, practicing a homosexual lifestyle or alternative gender identity.
The letter goes on to reference specific Bible verses that affirm these beliefs. The letter reads in part, "We believe that unless Sunnie as well as her family clearly understand that God has made her female and her dress and behavior need to follow suit with her God-ordained identity, that TCS is not the best place for her future education."
An administrator from Timberlake Christian, said the problem with Sunnie goes "far beyond her hair length" and that the little girl is a good student, but that "things disturbed the classroom environment."
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