HUNTLEY, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A Northwest suburban mega-church has been rejected as the site of a high school graduation because of its stance on homosexuality.
Superintendent Scott Rowe had recommended Willow Creek Church as the site of next May's graduation ceremony for more than 800 graduates. Every graduate would have been able to invite eight guests.
Members of the Huntley High School District 158 board had heard from the public and sought out 2022 graduates about the possibility of holding next spring’s graduation at Willow Creek Church.
Board member Melissa Scheiblein is a parent of a graduating senior and heard from other students in the LGBTQ community who would not have felt comfortable at Willow Creek.
"When students were reaching out to me and expressing how they were feeling and would feel and were afraid they’d have to miss their graduation, that, that broke my heart," she said.
Fellow board member Sean Cratty agreed and said LGBTQ students should not have to feel marginalized or feel they can’t go to their own graduation because of how they’d feel.
"They want to be together. They want everybody there and, for me, if one kid does not feel comfortable going there, that’s one too many," he said.
Only one board member expressed any support for Willow Creek and it was solely on the basis of its ability to to fill the district’s graduation ceremony needs.
"Many of you are caving in to a small group of people," he said. The motion to have graduation at Willow Creek failed because it couldn’t even get a second.
WBBM Newsradio has reached out to Willow Creek Church for a response.
The administration will now look into whether to hold the graduation ceremony at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates or at Northern Illinois University.
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