High school turns down free lunch from Chick-fil-A to support LGBTQ staff

Lusher High School in New Orleans, Louisiana turned down a free lunch from Chick-fil-A offered to their teachers, "out of respect for our LGBTQ staff," the school's principal, Dr. Steven Corbett, said.

The top U.S. fast food chain's stance on same-sex marriage doesn't match with the school's values, according to a statement made by Dr. Corbett to 4WWL.

"Out of respect to our LGBTQ staff, we have chosen to not serve Chick-fil-A at an employee lunch. The #1 rule at Lusher is to 'Be Kind' and we live this motto every day," Dr. Corbett said. "Chick-fil-A has been politically outspoken about its views, and we feel it is not part of Lusher’s culture of kindness and community.”

The free Chick-fil-A was offered to employees of the high school by the College Football Playoff Foundation, which plans to treat several Orleans Parish schools to lunch as a way to thank the community for hosting the Sugar Bowl and College Football Championship.

According to Tony Fay with the CFPF who also spoke with 4WWL, the organization will provide the Lusher High School teachers with lunch from another restaurant instead.

In 2012, Chick-fil-A's chief operating officer Dan T. Cathy made public comments against same-sex marriage, which followed reports that the WinShape Foundation, operated by the chain's founder S. Truett-Cathy, had been donating millions of dollars to anti-LGBT political organizations. Since then, Chick-fil-A has actively tried to separate its political beliefs from its business, but its associated foundation still continues to donate to causes categorized as anti-LGBTQ.