Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission

By: Keith Klein (Photo: Catholic News Agency)

Transgender students may be barred from attending Catholic schools in central and southern Indiana, according to a new policy from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Archbishop Charles C. Thompson directed schools to work with transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary students to “pastorally address their needs in alignment with the church’s teachings to navigate the difficult issues related to sexual identity… and living in accordance with church values.” The directive continues: “Any student whose gender has been legally changed from their biological sex, or who has chemically and/or surgically altered their given biology, may not be eligible for enrollment.” The document also says that parents who enroll their children in a Catholic school must understand, affirm, and support the archdiocese mission and policies. The archdiocesan schools participate in the state’s voucher program, which uses public dollars to fund scholarships to private schools. Democratic lawmakers have introduced several bills to prevent discrimination against students, staff, and teachers in voucher schools, but none have passed.