Urban Christian Academy in Kansas City, Missouri, a tuition-free private Christian school catering to kindergarten through eighth grade, will be forced to close its doors permanently in May 2022. The school, which was co-founded by Kalie Callaway-George, lost the majority of its funding from churches due to its support for the LGBTQ+ community and inclusive ideology.
Callaway-George reported that the academy lost 80% of its funding after the school became open about its support for the LGBTQ+ community in the winter of 2021 to 2022. The school updated its mission statement and website to reflect its pro-LGBTQ+ stance, which resulted in eight churches that previously provided funding to retract their support.
Despite reaching out to other churches in the area for support, the academy received no response and parents were informed in December 2021 that the school would close permanently. The academy raised nearly $334,000 in December 2021, compared to $14,800 at the end of 2022. The school has expressed serious concerns about the safety of its students and teachers due to the rise in violence against the LGBTQ+ community and will focus on protecting its families and ensuring the students receive a high-quality education.