Pictured: (in order) Sun (not their real name), Mortellus’ spouse, Joe, Mortellus, and Moon (not their real name). [Courtesy: Mortellus]
Before continuing, we should offer a content warning: the rest of this story mentions transphobia, homophobia, ableism, religious discrimination, and, if that were not enough, hatred and violence.
Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy (TJCA) is a public charter school located in Mooresboro, Rutherford County, North Carolina. It serves students from kindergarten through 12th grade and emphasizes a classical education approach. The “classical education approach” emphasizes critical thinking, a strong foundation in the liberal arts, and the study of classical literature, languages, and history. The academy is named after Thomas Jefferson, reflecting its dedication to the values of a liberal arts education, rigorous academic standards, and character development. TJCA operates independently of the local school district but is publicly funded.
On May 2, 2024, a parent of TJCA publicly posted on Facebook some concerns about some children who would be incoming to the school this Fall. The concerns were then distributed on social media and turned into a petition.
One statement began with an ultimatum, “So what you believe and how you raise your children at home shouldn’t be for others to judge; however, it also should not affect my children in school. This is a safety issue for me and you can’t tell me otherwise. It’s a NO for me and my family. If TJCA allows this, we will no longer have our children attend here. 😭”
The individual posting then adds, “I have been informed of twins coming into kindergarten at Thomas Jefferson, whose parents have told them they don’t have to pick a gender. One’s a boy, one’s a girl. The boy likes to wear makeup and girls’ clothes, but the mom says he’s gender-fluid so he will dress differently day to day. The parents are requesting we make a gender-neutral bathroom for them and call the boy and girl ‘it’ or ‘they’. Everyone will have to comply. The parents have already called administration and made their request for how they want their children accommodated. I have been told Rutherford County schools are willing to take on a lawsuit as they are not willing to make gender-neutral bathrooms; however, TJ is not willing to take on a lawsuit. There has already been an administration/staff meeting about this. The possibility our children will have to use pronouns and gender-neutral bathrooms could be in the near future. My question is this: ‘Tell me why we have to put our personal beliefs aside and comply, but others who disagree with us do not have to put their personal beliefs aside?’”
The online petition has since been pulled for hate speech by change.org but gathered 1,300 signatures. Parents voiced their concerns, one noting that “If we can’t push religion… they shouldn’t be able to push an agenda.”
One person courageously responded to the social media comments rightfully noting that no one was being forced to do anything. A family had simply made a request and posed a question about their own children.
TJCA responded to media requests by noting: “TJCA follows all applicable state and federal laws.
- Facilities have available single-stall bathrooms for students who choose this option;
- Facilities also have available multi-stall gender-specific bathrooms;
- As a matter of best practices and in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), TJCA does not publicly reveal requests from any parents for accommodation for their child/children; and
- TJCA follows S49 § 115C-76.55 regarding parents’ legal rights for their child’s (kindergarten-fourth grade) education, including the right to consent or withhold consent for participation in reproductive health and safety education programs, consistent with the requirements of G.S. 115C-81.30. (Instruction on gender identity, sexual activity, or sexuality shall not be included in the curriculum provided in grades kindergarten through fourth grade, regardless of whether the information is provided by school personnel or third parties.)”
Politicians were quick to jump in. Unopposed Rutherford County Commissioner Candidate Hunter Haynes, whose children attend TJCA, wrote in a public letter in their official capacity, “If Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy continues to move in silence and pass this motion to include ‘non-binary’ bathrooms, it is my hope that parents and teachers who are affected by this change will have the courage to lead their families to schools where science, logic, and facts are more valued than feelings.”
But this setup is only the beginning of the story. The family that made the request, who was outed by staff members? Is Mortellus’.
Mortellus’ family and their respective identities, faith, sexuality, and genders were being discussed on Facebook in different private groups.
They wrote, “I added myself innocuously to a school Facebook group as my twin children will be starting kindergarten this fall. Never have I felt so included in a Pride month (or the strong Pride month tradition of reaching for a brick to throw at someone horrible) as I did discover that my family—my children—had been subject to a campaign of hate spanning nearly a month. Warring Facebook groups discussed my family’s values, wants, and needs at length.”
Mortellus’ family was the subject of hundreds of media posts, the aforementioned meetings, petitions, prayer vigils, protests, and even the local news cycle. Mortellus wrote, “A TJCA staff member, joined by no less than six other members of staff […] leaked confidential and identifying information about my family to the general public. Gender identity, sexuality, religious practices, and more, laid bare for the world to see—all without our knowing, or having been informed, at all.”
Mortellus’ primary concern when first touring and selecting TJCA for their children was about whether their children would face discrimination for being Pagan. Mortellus said, “But it warmed my heart to know that the administration was, in their own words, ‘feeling very protective of them already.’”
And there’s more. On May 7, on the heels of a contentious board meeting at which staff, parents, and community members alike flooded the podium with hate-filled comments, individuals set up a private Facebook group called “TJCA Parents for Equality.” It came into existence not for Pride month but to discuss Mortellus’ family. Mortellus wrote, “It never occurred to me that it might only exist because my family did. An individual stated in that group that ‘there is a family out there who is hurting and feeling ostracized,’ but they were wrong on two counts. The first error was in thinking that we knew. You see, all the while that there was hate speech being bandied against myself, and a pair of six-year-old children, we didn’t know at all. But the second, more egregious error, was in assuming hurt. I am not hurt—I am angry.”
There was another group as well, TJCA Christian Parent Community (created the same day), in which a moderator and self-stated TJCA staff member stated “It’s not about pinpointing a child or a bathroom. It’s about the changes they are implementing for one family when the masses had to adhere to the set rules given on day one.”
Mortellus contacted TJCA and reported that the “board chair has declined my request for time to speak on my own behalf and on behalf of my children at the school board meeting on June 4th, 2024. I am following through with my stated promise to post this statement publicly.” They went on to explain further to us that “while the board does allow any person three minutes, being a professional public speaker I knew I would need a bit more time to give my statement. Following the rules of order for such a meeting, I entered a motion for an extended speech on a topic (which is allowable by Roberts Rules of Order and allows for a maximum of ten minutes), but was declined by then board of directors chair Karen Cook. She did not personally respond to my email entering that motion, but board member Doug Grondahl spoke with her on my behalf (during which I overheard her state that it would be too “uncomfortable”) and did let me know she declined. I told him at that time that were I not allowed to speak on my families behalf that I would take my statement to the public and he noted that he’d speak with her again. They began the meeting by noting that no person could cede their time to any other, and that anyone delivering speeches that weren’t appropriate or on-topic would be removed by the school officer—she made eye contact with me during this statement. They then went on to let two individuals deliver hateful speeches spanning nearly five minutes each without either removing them for being ‘off-topic,’ or shutting down their microphone for time at the three minute mark. I did take my three minutes, using that time to make clear that I’d been declined the opportunity to speak on the topic.”
By June 7, Mortellus’ learned in passing that Karen Cook had been removed as board chair (now “co-vice chair”) and was replaced with Doug Grondahl.
Fortunately, Mortellus’ children have been protected and are oblivious to these events.
Mortellus’ experiences with TJCA represent an important warning for the Pagan, Witchcraft, Heathen, and polytheist community. In our annual yearly look-ahead, the TWH editor-in-chief mentioned a concerning rise in spiritual violence. Two months ago, we mentioned it again regarding a new book that is ripe with dangerous anti-Pagan rhetoric.
Mortellus is doing a tremendous service not only by sharing this issue with the community and combating the many facets of it but also by raising awareness that communities will take matters into their own hands and broadcast their concerns through far-reaching private channels.
Mortellus left us with these thoughts.
“Quite a few people outside the issue have stated that it isn’t about religion—seemingly angry that I’ve discussed my own faith in the statement I issued when it was staff members hoping to discriminate against my children that first brought religion to the table.
But if, at its core, this isn’t about religion—then why is that all people can seem to bring up as a talking point? It’s because for some people, the right to religious freedom is only for those who share their beliefs. This is about protecting “Christian” ideas about gender and sexuality, and we do not share those beliefs. We are not Christian. Our faith protects the right to express oneself as we see fit—not as imposed upon us by someone else’s god. The fact of the matter is that everyone participating in this discourse is intelligent enough to know that no rules or policies were changed, and that kindergartners at that school already have gender neutral bathrooms and always have. It’s about the fact that staff—and through them, parents—became aware of a family that believed differently than them, didn’t like it, and want to ensure that the rules they have enjoyed the protections of don’t apply to that family—my family—equally. It’s having most of the parking lot be designed for you and parking in a handicap space. It’s everything being closed on Sunday, and being angry someone else’s child takes a day off of school for a religious observance. It’s not wanting to participate in someone’s rituals, but wanting everyone else to participate in your prayers. It’s believing everyone should be denied an abortion because your faith demands it.
This is an Exodus 22:18 problem and I’m well aware of that. They believe with all of their heart that I and my family should not exist in “their” space, and if that is their assertion, then where are we to exist? I ask you to consider, were the tables turned, what would you want for your family? You would, of course, want to live alongside my children, protected by the law, yet not restrained in your expression of faith.
So yes, while it is broadly and importantly about FERPA and Title IX violations—it is also about faith. Not, necessarily, mine, but about theirs, and the fact that they believe theirs is the moral and ethical standard by which the world should align itself.”
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Editorial Note: The research Request originally present has been rescinded at the researcher’s request.
Happening This Sunday: Thor’s Oak Kindred joins Race Against Hate
For the fifth year, Thor’s Oak Kindred has a team walking in the Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate. We invite you to join us or donate to this worthy cause.
Thor’s Oak Kindred is a diverse organization dedicated to the practice of the Ásatrú religion in Chicago. We come together to honor the Norse gods and goddesses, the spirits of the land, and the departed people who inspire us. Since 2016, we have been building and nurturing a face-to-face community of practitioners in Chicago and the greater midwestern region for ritual celebration, group events, and mutual support.
Our members are kindred by choice and have chosen to embrace each other as a family. We are proud of our diversity, and we stand against all discrimination on the basis of race, sex, gender, orientation, identity, origin, ancestry, age, or ability.
With the poison of white nationalism spreading worldwide and using Ásatrú as a propaganda vehicle, it is no longer enough to issue declarations and denunciations. We must join with other people of positive intent, push back on resurgent hate, and promote productive change.
On June 16 in Evanston, the YWCA hosts the 25th annual event in memory of Ricky Byrdsong, the Northwestern basketball coach murdered by a white supremacist in 1999 while walking in his neighborhood with his young children. On the same day, the shooter wounded six Orthodox Jews. Over the subsequent weekend, he killed a Korean-American graduate student and wounded an African-American minister before taking his own life.
All proceeds are used to further the YWCA’s mission in the areas of racial justice and violence prevention. Their programs assist children in schools and youth organizations to challenge their own prejudices and foster healthy, violence-free relationships among their peers; support teenagers in examining their own relationships and practicing constructive ways to handle conflict and differences; and encourage adults to engage in constructive dialogue, interactive activities, and meaningful action as related to racial justice.
Help make a real difference in the real world. Please register today and join us on the walk. If you don’t live in the area, you can donate any amount small or large. Sign up to join our walking team or donate by clicking here.
Happening this Weekend!
Circle Sanctuary’s Pagan Spirit Gathering (PSG) is one of America’s oldest and largest Nature Spirituality festivals. Since 1980, PSG has been bringing together Pagans of many paths and places to create community, celebrate the summer solstice, and commune with nature in a sacred environment.
The 2024 Pagan Spirit Gathering will be held June 16th to 23rd in southern Missouri, USA. This year’s gathering includes a variety of rituals, workshops, concerts, and merchanting along with an assortment of other activities.
Our Pagan Leadership Institute will include workshops by Pagans from diverse traditions. In addition, High Priestess Rev. Selena Fox will be presenting a 4-part program, Wheel of the Year Intensive: Creating & Leading Group Rituals. It will cover creating and leading group sabbat rites and celebrations.
Pagan musicians will be sharing their music through concerts during the week and a combined main-stage group jam called Bardapalooz on Saturday night. Register by June 8th at circlesanctuary.org.
Again, registration closed on June 8, 2024! But we are wishing them an awesome weekend and can’t wait to hear the stories!
Announcements
The Delmarva Pagan Pride Festival will be offered June 30th, 2024 rain or shine at the Dover, DE outdoor Legislative Mall. This incredible day of classes, music, ritual, and shopping is offered to the community at no cost but we do encourage bringing a canned good donation for the local food bank which can be dropped off at the information desk. Please see our Facebook page for guest announcements and schedule releases. All are welcome, hope to see you there!
The sixth annual Mystic South Conference will take place July 26-28, 2024! Mystic South is filled with workshops, educational abstract presentations, rituals, community building, and much more. With the backdrop of the grand city of Atlanta, be a part of our celebration of the diversity of the peoples and religious practices, both past and present, that make up the Southern US region.
The conference also announced that their tickets are on sale. Get your tickets now and, get some for your friends, your neighbors, or just some random person you met on the street!
Do you have news to share with our community?
Announcements? Elevations? Events?
Let us know at pcn@wildhunt.org.
Tarot of the Week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: Tarot of Mermaids, artwork by Mauro de Luca, text by Pietro Alligo & Mauro de Luca, published by Lo Scarabeo.
Card: Major arcana, XI (11) – Justice
The week ahead is liable to offer opportunities for parsing out what is perceived as truth, as well as what is considered to be ethical and fair when it comes to deeply held personal beliefs. Additionally, there are likely to be elements of accepting and acknowledging accountability and possibly taking action to create balance.
Contrarily, there may be opportunities to own the mistakes made regardless as to whether anyone else is aware of the misstep or misdeed. Refusal to fully acknowledge mistakes, or worse, blaming them on someone else, has the potential to cause serious harm and will likely cause more problems in the future.
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