The full text of the policy adopted by the board in December 2022 is available here. The petition proposes delaying the adoption of this policy until adequate community input has been collected. The policy is also reproduced below with new language adopted in 2022 higlighted in bold.

Full Text of Policy

Human Sexuality

Human sexuality is a God-given gift intended for good. At creation God gave us the gift of sexuality as a tool for intimacy, procreation and delight (Genesis 2:18-25, Song of Songs, Proverbs 5:16-20). Grand Rapids Christian Schools’ mission, which is anchored in the Basis and Subscription to the three Reformed confessions, is to equip students to be effective servants of Christ in contemporary society. This mission includes training young people to understand human sexuality and to use their own sexuality in a way that glorifies God.

Because sin has distorted all of human life, we are each guilty of sexual sin. We all struggle to understand human sexuality in general and to live faithfully with our individual sexuality. There are many examples of the challenge: middle schoolers dealing with bodily changes, young teens figuring out their first kiss, and staff members negotiating appropriate boundaries in their dealings with students. People in our community wrestle with the brokenness of lust, pornography, and adultery.

Because issues surrounding sexuality can be perplexing and polarizing, Grand Rapids Christian Schools commits to engage these issues with courage, humility, prayerfulness, and convicted civility. Effective servants of Christ work to understand the complexities of sexual orientation and gender identity. Grand Rapids Christian Schools seeks in grace and truth to be a place where biblical truth is upheld and all persons are treated with respect, justice, grace, and understanding in the Spirit of Christ. We commit to being an inclusive and safe space for students and staff in the area of sexuality just as we do in all areas of diversity in order to protect and preserve the dignity of students and staff.

Grand Rapids Christian Schools believes that God instituted marriage as biblically defined and historically interpreted to be between a man and a woman. The full expression of sexual affection is reserved for a man and a woman who are united in the covenant of marriage. (Genesis 2:22-24, Proverbs 5:18-19, Matthew 19:4-6, Mark 10:6-9, 1 Corinthians 7:1-16). Grand Rapids Christian Schools also believes that before the fall into sin, God created us male and female and there was no gender confusion (Genesis 1:27).

Recognizing the breadth of diversity within Grand Rapids Christian Schools and that Christians differ in their opinion in how scripture should be interpreted on this matter, members of the board and staff will communicate and uphold God’s standards for sexuality with grace, mercy, and equity in order to advance Grand Rapids Christian Schools’ mission within the community (Philippians 2:1-5; Ephesians 5:1,2). As ministers of Christ, Grand Rapids Christian Schools’ teachers and all those involved in the instruction and guidance of our youth will align their instruction with the Schools’ view on marriage as found above, model this Christian approach to sexuality, and communicate with sensitivity and care. At the same time, we understand and embrace the freedom for students to respectfully articulate and openly discuss differing opinions as part of the learning and growing process that is central to the learning environment.