A high school in California has banned a fast food chain from donating meals for a fundraising event because it supports traditional marriage.
Val Wyatt, Principal of Ventura High School, said she didn’t want Chick-fil-A sandwiches to be sold at the school because of the company’s “political stance on gay rights”.
The school district superintendent Trudy Tuttle Arriaga said they “value inclusivity and diversity” and all events and activities should “adhere” to that mission.
Opposition
Chick-fil-A is a family-run business, which has a Christian ethos – the President Dan Cathy has publicly expressed his support for traditional marriage.
The Ventura Chick-fil-A branch had offered to donate 200 free meals for the school football team’s event, which could have raised $1,600 for the club.
The branch has already donated $21,000 to schools in the area.
Outraged
Parent Michelle Cisneros said she complained to school officials because she was so outraged about the decision.
Chick-fil-A came under fire in 2012 after Cathy said they “very much” support the “biblical definition of the family unit”, in an interview published by Baptist Press.
Later in 2012, students at a university in North Carolina voted in favour of banning the company’s outlet from its campus because of Cathy’s views.
Faithful
And the mayors of Boston and Chicago said they would stop outlets opening in their cities over the company’s stance.
Chick-fil-A, which is based in Atlanta, has more than 1,800 restaurants around the USA and last year had annual sales of over $5 billion.
The corporate purpose of the chain is “To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.”