Christian middle school assignment about homosexuality prompts backlash

A homework assignment from a Christian middle school in Kentucky has received backlash across the internet.

What are the details?

The assignment — a letter to a homosexual friend — implores its hypothetically gay receiver to reconsider their sexuality.

The Christian Academy of Louisville encouraged students to write a letter to a fictional student who was "struggling with homosexuality."

A portion of the assignment shared on Twitter advised students to include the notion that "God's design for them is good" and that homosexuality is not the answer. The assignment also encouraged students to tell the fictional student "you love them even though you don't approve of their lifestyle.

"Assume that you have known this friend since kindergarten, that you go to the same church, and that you have been pretty good friends over the years until now," the assignment explained. "The aim of your letter should be to lovingly and compassionately speak truth to the person you're talking to in a way that does not approve of any sin. Instead, TRY TO PERSUADE THEM OF THE GOODNESS OF GOD'S DESIGN for them."

One social media user lambasted the assignment, writing, "I am not a doxxing/canceling advocate but am curious as to if limited to a single teacher and that teacher's ideology or endorsed by school. Private schools aren't immune from from [sic] legal action."

What else is there to know about this?

Christian Academy School System Superintendent Darin Long confirmed the assignment in a statement to Newsweek.

"This particular assignment, in context, was how a person could discuss homosexuality with a friend from a biblical perspective with compassion and love," Long said in his statement. "This hypothetical friend conversation was for our students to review the class discussions and their perspectives on the subject. Moving forward, we will review this assignment to ensure there is clarity in its purpose and language."

He added that all of his teachers are "content with a biblical worldview."

"We believe that all individuals are created in the image of God and therefore should be treated with compassion, respect, dignity, and love at all times even in disagreement," Long stated.