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Calgary Christian school has students, teachers sign vow to abstain from ‘sexual immorality’

People pray Sunday at Steinbach Christian High School where they met for an information session on Bill 18.

An Albertan Christian academy that is part of the public school system requires that students and teachers sign a contract vowing not to participate in "sexual immorality," a not-so veiled reference to watching pornography and engaging in pre-marital sex or homosexuality.

The punishment? Potential expulsion, though that seems to be more a hollow threat than anything else.

The Heritage Christian Academy is an evangelical Christian school in Calgary for students in kindergarten to Grade 12. It is established on a statement of faith that focuses on the "infallible, authoritative, written word of God."

It previously operated as an independent school but joined the Palliser Regional School Division in 2006. In August of 2013, the academy signed an agreement with the school board that allowed it to maintain its alternative teaching system based on Christian values.

The agreement ensured that the Heritage Christian Education Society Calgary would retain the right to establish its own policies on student admission requirements and staffing decisions.

The school requires student and teachers all sign a covenant regarding acceptable behaviours and attitudes, essentially requiring them to "follow the will of God."

Part of that contract includes promising to refrain from using tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs. It also demands the student or teacher "refrain from a lifestyle of sexual immorality."

The Calgary Herald obtained earlier versions of the agreement, which include direct reference to the types of sexual immorality in question. Those acts that are primarily in question include, "pre-marital sex, homosexual behaviour" and viewing pornography.

Interestingly, a second section of the covenant also appeared to have been amended. The section that requires students and teachers "avoid the appearance of evil" in their choice of clothing and entertainment had previously identified specific areas of concern as television, movies, music and "social dancing."

Palliser associate superintendent Dale Backlin told the Herald, however, that no one would actually be disciplined for breaching the agreement because it would violate Alberta’s human rights legislation. So the covenant may be more about weeding out those who would morally oppose the agreement, rather than punishing those who might run afoul of it later.

This wouldn’t be the first time a Christian school has made headlines over the role of homosexuality in its policies. Trinity Western University, a private university in British Columbia, continues to face opposition because if requires students and staff sign its own community covenant agreement, vowing to abstain from "sexual intimacy that violates the sacredness of marriage between a man and a woman."

Earlier this year, TWU was given preliminary approval for the accreditation of its own law school. Several law societies were said to be considering an appeal, however, based on its legally questionable covenant agreement.

The school itself has managed to operate for years without significant issue, aside from some vocal opposition, because it is a private organization that does not accept public funding.

Elsewhere, debates have raged over whether Catholic school boards should be required to host gay-straight alliance clubs. Most recently in Alberta, where politicians voted down a motion earlier this month that would make allowing student-led gay-straight alliances mandatory at all provincial schools.

Lucky for Heritage Christian Academy, it seems.