A Christian school in Virginia is now receiving violent threats after informing a tomboy that she was no longer welcomed. Since the story of 8-year-old Sunnie Kahle made national headlines, Timberlake Christian School has received a vast amount of attention.
A spokesman for the school said that the public's reaction to Sunnie's story has gotten way out of control. Administrators responded to violent threats made to staff and students by requesting for county deputies to be placed outside of the school and Timberlake Baptist Church, the local church that abides with TCS.
Due to the heightened amount of threats the school received, Bryan Ferrell, pastor of Timberlake Baptist Church sent a letter home to all parents.
In the letter he shared that, "Within 48 hours after [local television news covered the story] emails and phone calls started pouring into our school from as far away as Australia, France and Russia," he wrote. "National media outlets contacted us, asking for a comment. Hate mail of all kinds poured in, as well as threats and condemnation."
The letter went on to say that "It would be impossible to watch this story and not feel anger towards TCS if the school had expelled the child because of a haircut or tomboy appearance. But nothing could be further from the truth. There are real biblical issues at stake in this situation on which we had to act."
While TCS received threats for their intolerance toward the 8-year-old tomboy, Sunnie Kahle and her great-grandparents say they've received tremendous support.
The family removed Sunnie from TCS and enrolled her in a local public school. They say that since the story broke, she's received an outpouring of support in the form of mailed letters, jewelry and clothes.
"Short hair is beautiful and so are you, inside and out. God loves us all the same," one of Sunnie's letters read.
Doris Thompson, Sunnie's great-grandmother said that the family also received support from other religious leaders. "You would not believe the preachers that have faxed us and emailed us and told us how wrong it was."
Thompson told the ABC affiliate that she plans on keeping Sunnie in public school. TCS she said, is no longer an option.
The Thompsons also said in an ABC interview that Sunnie has received numerous admissions offers from private schools. Right now, however, the family is content with where Sunnie is.
