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The novelist novelist Nicholas Sparks ("The Notebook") was criticized for having founded a Christian school that promoted biblical conceptions of sexual morality.
According to the Daily Beast, in 2006, Sparks helped found a preparatory school in New Bern, North Carolina, dubbed "Epiphany School of Global Studies," which aimed to become a "religion-based academy." and focused on global issues ". language learning, regular visits to other countries and a common understanding that "learning the world" was an integral part of 21st century life. "With a student population of just 500 people, the school has also sought to promote Judeo-Christian values.
Since 2014, however, legal documents show that Sparks and the school's board of directors are fighting the former director and general manager of Epiphany, Saul Benjamin, who alleges that the company is not in the same position. School is delivered to various forms of bigotry.
"The sparks and board members have shamelessly harassed, harassed and harassed members of the school community," said Benjamin's lawyers in the complaint, "whose views and / or religious beliefs did not match. to their preconceived ideas ".
Although Benjamin claims that Sparks has been engaging in forms of racial discrimination against black students attending school, he provides no evidence. He claims only that the author attributed the shortage of black students in the school to cultural and economic differences. Without evidence, Benjamin also claims that one of the school board members told him that she specifically avoided a Wal-Mart made up of black people and that he had been subjected to "Unwelcome comments and increased scrutiny" when he hired the first full-time black teacher. .
None of this suggests that Benjamin's accusations of racial discrimination are false, but it is odd that the Daily Beast article dwells very little on this part of his complaint – the allegation the most serious against the school. In fact, the only evidence presented that Sparks directly addresses the issue of school diversity is an e-mail informing Benjamin of his current plans to create a scholarship program on the subject of school diversity. diversity.
"If you want to talk about diversity to someone, please contact Jenna (who designs the diversity scholarship program) or me (who will be responsible for raising the funds needed to fund the scholarship program once that Jenna will have designed), "says e-mail.
Instead, The Daily Beast dedicates the majority of the article to Benjamin's allegations regarding Epiphany's conservative Christian beliefs regarding LGBT issues. According to Benjamin, the school's LGBT students began to meet privately, forming a club, which resulted in intimidation when the group became known. According to the report:
The incident sowed tension among the student body and the staff. Rumor has it that Benjamin would have formed what Sparks called a "gay club," and the board of directors insisted that the club be banned. According to Benjamin's complaint, two bisexual teachers approached the administrators about the group and threatened to stop working as they continued to discuss the issue. In addition, at a board meeting held on October 30, 2013, a member of the board of directors stated that Benjamin "promoted a gay culture and agenda." Sparks would have warned Benjamin against pushing the subject, suggesting that he "would be wasting secondary time", according to the complaint.
In November, resentments were high. That month, Benjamin states in his complaint that two LGBT students approached Benjamin to inform him of their intention to hold a demonstration in the chapel. They had planned to remove their clothes and announce their orientation in body painting. Benjamin says that he asked the girls not to protest, saying that "it was a healing moment and not a heroic one." Instead, on Friday morning, Chapel Talk, a Weekly tradition at school, Benjamin talked about the bullying and the commitment of the school to "love their neighbors. "
In an email, Sparks expressed his anger and frustration at Benjamin, who he said had earned a reputation among the faculty of being elitist and despising Christian beliefs. "I told you it would happen … if you did not follow our advice, which was simply" do not rock the boat on this particular issue "," Sparks said in the email before advising him 39 "ensure" of all Christian traditions, to feel particularly Christian, especially as we enter the Christmas season. "
In another email, Sparks noted that the school allowed LGBT students to participate but simply did not want them to form a club, which would violate the school's beliefs. Ultimately, tensions led to Benjamin being removed from his position as Director and Chief Executive Officer. In October 2014, he filed a lawsuit for discrimination, breach of contract, emotional distress and defamation, which will be the subject of a trial in August.
In a statement, Nicholas Sparks denied all charges against the school, claiming that Benjamin had lost his position as director of the Christian school for being "aloof, even rude, elitist." and despising of his convictions or his origins ". He also claims that Benjamin deliberately attempted to establish an LGBT club on campus, in violation of school policy.
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