“When Flying the Family Proclamation Becomes ‘Indoctrination’: The Legal Battle of a Faithful LDS Mother

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we’re called to stand as witnesses of God’s truth in all places, even when it’s difficult. The ongoing situation with Sister April Wilde Despain in Murray, Utah provides a powerful example of a faithful Latter-day Saint mother courageously defending her family’s religious beliefs against growing opposition.

A Mother’s Stand for Eternal Truth

Sister Despain, a mother of six beautiful children and longtime Murray resident, has found herself in an unexpected legal battle simply for upholding the doctrine clearly taught in “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.” Like many of us, she believed her local schools would respect her family’s deeply held religious beliefs about gender and the divine role of families.

When her third-grade child came home having been exposed to materials contradicting these sacred truths about gender being binary and established before birth, Sister Despain did what any faithful parent would do—she respectfully raised concerns with school officials. Rather than finding understanding, she encountered resistance and even dishonesty from those entrusted with her children’s education.

Despite multiple attempts to work within the system, the Murray City School District intensified their promotion of gender theories that directly contradict revealed truth. Facing this challenge to her children’s spiritual well-being, Sister Despain made the difficult decision that many Latter-day Saint families now face—withdrawing her children to begin homeschooling.

Opposition and Persecution

As prophesied in scripture, standing for truth has brought opposition. When Sister Despain continued advocating for parental rights and religious freedom, the district’s PTA President launched what can only be described as targeted harassment against this faithful mother.

Most shocking was the deliberate desecration of Sister Despain’s private property when this individual had pride flags planted in the family’s front yard—a direct mockery of their sacred beliefs. As Sister Despain shared in her recent court hearing: “The opposing counsel accused me of indoctrinating the public by flying The Family Proclamation as a flag in my front yard… He implied that was no different than Pride flags displayed in public schools.”

The opposition has grown to include legal intimidation through a civil stalking injunction, seemingly designed to silence Sister Despain’s constitutionally protected speech and prevent her from advocating for her religious beliefs in public education.

The Heartbreak of Internal Division

Perhaps most disheartening in this situation is learning that the attorney leading the legal attack against Sister Despain is himself a member of the Church. As Sister Despain poignantly observed:

“I just found out this attorney is a Mormon… Isn’t this just so reflective of the membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints these days?!! OF COURSE it’s a fellow LDS church member representing the attack on my religious freedom! He literally tried to use The Family Proclamation as an exhibit IN COURT to impeach my sincerely held religious beliefs regarding gender identity and pride flags.”

This painful reality mirrors the growing division within our faith community as some members attempt to reconcile eternal doctrines with shifting cultural pressures. As Sister Despain notes, this attorney “brought in a page from the LDS church website on same-sex attraction and claimed that because it says ‘Kindness, Inclusion, and Respect for All of God’s Children,’ that means the church does indeed support pride flags.”

Such misrepresentations of Church doctrine highlight the confusion some members experience when attempting to balance the world’s demands with revealed truth. As President Nelson has taught, we can show Christlike love while still upholding divine standards and eternal truths.

Our Responsibility to Support

As fellow Saints, we have a sacred duty to stand with Sister Despain and others facing similar challenges for defending truth. The legal battle she faces isn’t just about one family or one school district—it’s about preserving religious freedom and parental rights for all who hold traditional family values.

Sister Despain has received remarkable public support, with one of her social media posts on this issue garnering over 11.7 million views. This overwhelming response demonstrates that many Americans still value the right of parents to raise their children according to their religious convictions.

An Invitation to Action

In the face of mounting legal costs and ongoing persecution, Sister Despain needs our support. As members of a covenant community, we’re called to “bear one another’s burdens” and stand together in truth. Consider contributing to her legal defense fund as she fights this battle that affects all families seeking to raise children in faith.

More importantly, let us remember Sister Despain and her family in our prayers. May the Lord strengthen them through this trial and use their faithful example to inspire others to stand firm in an increasingly challenging world.

As we support courageous members like Sister Despain, we reaffirm our commitment to the eternal truths about gender, family, and God’s divine plan—truths that will never change, regardless of shifting cultural trends or legal challenges.

If interested, you can help Sister Despain by visiting her GiveSendGo page here, or following her updates on social media, here.