87°F
weather icon Clear

Bank halts voucher program funding over anti-LGBTQ policies

ORLANDO, Fla. — A bank says it will stop donating millions of dollars to Florida’s private school voucher program after reports that some schools in the program discriminate against LGBTQ students.

In a tweet to a Florida lawmaker on Tuesday, Fifth Third Bank said it has told officials with the state voucher program it will stop participating.

“We have communicated with program officials that we will not be contributing again until more inclusive policies have been adopted by all participating schools to protect the sexual orientation of all our students,” the Ohio-based bank tweeted to state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith.

The decision comes after an Orlando Sentinel investigation found that 156 private Christian schools with anti-gay views educated more than 20,800 students with tuition paid for by state scholarships. Of those, the report said, 83 refused to admit LGBTQ students or would expel them if their sexual orientation or gender identity were discovered.

The investigation also found that many companies with pro-LGBTQ policies had donated to the program in exchange for write-offs on their state tax bills. Among them was Fifth Third Bank, which contributed $5.4 million in 2018 to the program.

An email seeking comment from the Florida Department of Education didn’t get an immediate response on Wednesday.

LISTEN TO THE TOP FIVE HERE
Sponsored By One Nevada Credit Union
Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
UC Davis’ pro-Palestinian encampment ends

The encampments’ peaceful end comes as police have been called to dismantle tents around the state. It began May 6.

US defense official confirms Gaza pier is bringing aid ashore

The pier was reattached to Gaza’s shoreline on Wednesday, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss U.S. military operations.

Hezbollah leader warns archenemy Israel against wider war

Lebanon’s Hezbollah has new weapons and intelligence capabilities that could help it target more critical positions deeper inside Israel in case of an all-out war, the terrorist group’s leader warned on Wednesday.

Penn’s interim president orders pro-Palestinian protesters to disband ‘immediately’

The interim president at the University of Pennsylvania issued a warning Friday night to pro-Palestinian protesters on campus that they must “disband their encampment immediately” because of alleged legal and university police violations.

Pro-Palestinian encampment cleared from Cal State LA

Police cleared an entrenched pro-Palestinian encampment at California State University, Los Angeles, just days after demonstrators occupied and trashed a building.