LGBTQ+ groups and allies urged Assumption Iloilo on Friday, August 7, to retract its school policy discriminating against homosexuality and ensure safe spaces for its students regardless of its sexual orientation, gender identity, expression, and sexual characteristics.

This came after Assumption Iloilo, a private Catholic school owned and managed by the Religious of the Assumption, defined homosexuality as immoral and a ground for the expulsion of students as stated in the school’s contract for its enrollees.

This definition appeared on the Assumption Iloilo employee’s and learner’s handbook. It was also included in the employment contracts and student enrollment forms of the school. This handbook also required that parents of the students accept or conform to the to the definition and the consequence of the immorality.

A page of the contract included homosexuality to its definition of immorality which pertains to acts that are contrary to Catholic morals, teachings, and values.

In a joint statement initiated by Iloilo Pride Team and Bahaghari-Manila, over 80 LGBTQ+ organizations, allied groups, and individuals said that “homosexuality is not immoral.”

They cited that the policies set by the school violated Iloilo City’s anti-discrimination ordinance and Department of Education (DepEd)’s Child Protection Policy, including discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. 

“When an educational institution values its name and reputation over upholding the lives and dignity of its students, it shows that it upholds bigotry instead of justice, hate instead of compassion,” the LGBTQ+ coalition said in its unity statement. 

‘Discrimination is immoral’

The LGBTQ+ groups also added that they have heard accounts from students who were warned of getting expelled. This caused fear of being “outed” or “discovered” and the feeling of being “unsafe” in their own school. (READ: 73% of Filipinos think ‘homosexuality should be accepted by society’ – report)

“It is hypocritical to propose measures on immorality in an institution, while blatantly disallowing the existence of persons of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, expressions, and sexual characteristics (SOGIESC), and denying their right to education within the said institution,” the groups added. 

“As educators, it is their duty to uphold the right of their students, LGBTQ+ or not, to be educated in a safe, accepting, and affirming environment. Branding them as immoral not only violates that right, but also directly harms their mental health and ability to learn,” UP Babaylan, an LGBTQ+ organization in the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman said.

LGBTQ+ groups urged Assumption Iloilo to stay true to its values as a Catholic school that professes to uphold justice, emphasizing that it must be one with the LGBTQ+ community in fostering genuine equality. 

“If we are committed to pursuing the highest standards of education for our students, then we must recognize that creating a safe, non-discriminatory, and gender-sensitive environment is a critical foundation for this standard. We cannot presume to be offering our students the highest quality of education as we remain complicit in and refuse to root out the violence that LGBTQ+ students face in our institutions every day,” the groups said. 

They also challenged the school to uphold the provisions stated in Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), which was referenced in the conforme stating that “homosexuals must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity” and that “every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.” 

“It is beyond high time we recognize that the inclination to homosexual acts does not diminish the intrinsic worth of any person,” they added. 

‘Nothing can be farther from the truth’

But hours after it went under fire, Assumption Iloilo responded to its critics. It cited the same CCC reference and added that “there is no intent nor was there ever an intent to discriminate against homosexuals as represented in social media.”

“The definition has invited harsh criticism and charges of discrimination against homosexuals leveled at Assumption Iloilo. Nothing can be farther from the truth,” the community of the Religious of the Assumption said in a statement. 

Assumption Iloilo clarified that the definition of immorality speaks of the “acts” of a person and not the “condition” or “orientation” of a person.

“The definition sanction acts constituting sexual misconduct from the viewpoint of a Catholic Institution regardless of the condition or orientation of a person. The definition does not sanction the condition or orientation of a person,” Assumption Iloilo pointed out. 

It further added that as a Catholic institution, it is within its rights to adopt a definition of what constitutes immorality in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic church. – Rappler.com