Pop star criticises US vice-president’s wife who teaches at a school that discriminates against LGBT students and parents

Lady Gaga has criticised the US vice-president, Mike Pence, and his wife, Karen, over her role teaching art at a school that excludes LGBT students and parents.

On stage at her Las Vegas concert residency, Gaga said: “You say we should not discriminate against Christianity; you are the worst representation of what it means to be a Christian. I am a Christian woman and what I do know about Christianity is that we bear no prejudice and everybody is welcome. So you can take all that disgrace Mr Pence and you can look yourself in the mirror and you’ll find it right there.”

Karen Pence is to return to Immanuel Christian School, Virginia, to teach art two days a week. She worked there for 12 years before her husband became vice-president. The school has a “parent agreement” that states the school can “discontinue enrolment” of a student if they or their parents “are in opposition to the biblical lifestyle the school teaches”. This definition includes “supporting or condoning sexual immorality, homosexual activity or bisexual activity”.

Following criticism of the policy, Mike Pence said in an interview with Christian television station EWTN: “To see major news organisations attacking Christian education is deeply offensive to us.”

Gaga also criticised Donald Trump’s shutdown of the US government. “Please put our government back in business,” she said. “There are people who live paycheck to paycheck and need their money.”

Gaga, who defines as bisexual, has long been a champion of gay rights. Her famous “meat dress” was a statement on the anti-LGBT policies in the US military, and her hit single Born This Way was a celebration of LGBT identities.