Education

Teacher to Sue After Being Fired From TX Christian School Over Unwed Pregnancy

Christian values generally call for abstinence until marriage. Despite this moral code, many believers still find themselves engaging in the act when they enter into committed relationships. Cathy Samford, a former teacher and volleyball coach at Heritage Christian Academy in Rockwall, Texas, was one of these individuals. Her sexual activity, which led to unwed pregnancy, led officials to fire her from the private school.

In the fall of 2011, Samford, who was engaged and planning to get married, discovered that she was with child. She had planned to wed the previous summer, but various events delayed the nuptials. When she went to tell administrators about the pregnancy news, she claims she never dreamed she’d be terminated.

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“I didn’t think I would lose my job,” Samford told ABC News. “I was in shock and devastated and that’s when I said, ‘If this is the problem, I’m willing, and so is my fiancé, to go ahead and get married. That wasn’t the issue. We were going to get married regardless.”

But the school’s headmaster, Dr. Ron Taylor, told the outlet that Samford’s standing as a Christian role model was put in jeopardy by the pregnancy.

“It‘s not that she’s pregnant. The issue here is being an unmarried mother,” Taylor explained. “Everything that we stand for says that we want our teachers, who we consider to be in the ministry, to model what a Christian man or woman should be.”

Sanford, though, disagrees with this assessment and claims that she didn’t violate her contract in any way. She has hired a lawyer to take the school on in court.

Teacher Cathy Samford Fired From TX Christian School Over Unwed Pregnancy

Fired teacher Cathy Samford

“It‘s against the law to fire someone for them taking a pregnancy leave and you can’t preventatively fire someone. You can’t contract around anti-discrimination laws,” Sanford’s Lawyer, Colin Walsh, explained to ABC News. “Just being generally religious or upholding Christian values is not enough to evoke the ministerial exception.”

While the details of what, exactly, Sanford is seeking are not clear, Walsh has filed a discrimination charge based on gender and pregnancy with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Additionally, they plan to sue the school.

Sanford’s baby is due April 19 and she is also responsible for two children from a previous marriage. Money, she says, is a major concern.

“I’m very worried about money. I’m just hoping to make it through this month. I’ve had lots of medical bills,” she said. “My insurance was dropped so everything I’ve had to pay is out of pocket. I’m using my tax return just to live on. It’s a big concern. I don’t know what next month holds for me.”

Considering the ministerial exemption — a legal precedent that makes it virtually impossible for employees of religious organizations to sue for discrimination — this case seems to be more in the school’s favor.

(H/T: ABC News)

Comments (234)

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  • jesusletsmespeed
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:56am

    At some point, people who call themselves Christians need to start living as Christians. As the leader of the school, I may have responded differently. But, I’m sick and tired of the social ills of our corrupt society being represented in almost equal numbers among our Christian congregations. Forget about being pregnant. She shouldn’t be having sex outside the bonds of marriage. So, like I said, maybe I wouldn’t fire her. Perhaps, she’d like to publicly confess and repent of her sins to the congregation so she can be forgiven and restored. After all, her sin does impact the community as a whole. Yeah, probably not.

    Report Post »  
    • gsmith6811
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:55am

      My question to her is why didn’t she drag her “boyfriend” to city hall to get married? BTW she still isn’t married and is complaining about money problems. Where is this guy?
      It sounds to me like she wanted a “wedding” (and white dress, HA). Since they were going to marry anyway, as she said, do it discretely and there would not have been problem.

      I think the school made her feel like she did something “wrong” and now she’s going to sue. PERFECT. She should feel bad! She is bringing a child into the world without a committed, devoted husband and father. And she’s complaining about money problems!! It’s her fault!! Make better choices and stop making your children pay the price.

      Thank God this school has the guts to stand up for a value that protects children. Marriage is an important commitment because of children! Women like this make me crazy. If women held out and lived their Christian values men would marry them in a heartbeat and be the honorable fathers God wants them to be. Instead they don’t expect much and that’s what they get. How sad.

      This comes from a woman that’s made plenty of stupid mistakes…the difference-
      I’ve learned from them!

      Report Post »  
    • AMENDMENT
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:56am

      I think people need to quit injecting themselves into others lives by acting as morality police, how about we all put the rocks down and let God himself be the judge, he is after all the only one without sin ?!?!

      Report Post » AMENDMENT  
    • hi
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:29am

      Amendment
      I’m not judging. But, if I am paying $12,000 for my kids to be taught morals at a Christian school, I certainly don’t want an unwed pregnant woman teaching my kids!
      I am a sinner and I am not judging her. I just expect to get what I am paying for.

      Report Post » hi  
    • mdeputy7
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:43am

      Ok. So many are saying “that’s not what Jesus would have done.” So many are saying that we are judging and it is not our job to do so…it is God’s. Stop. First of all, Jesus was not against consequences. He was against KILLING people for their sins. This is not a situation where the school is being judgmental. This is a situation in which she will be a bad example of Christian values for the students who look up to her. When you are put in a position of authority, you are expected to live at a higher standard. Does nobody remember the mantra ‘with great power comes great responsibility”? Being a teacher…especially in a Christian school…is great power. She failed on the responsibility side, and there are consequences. Saying that she shouldn‘t be fired is like saying that a pastor who is having an affair shouldn’t be removed from his position. You have to lead by example as well as by words.

      Mind you, I am not saying that she should be shunned and banned from the church or anything like that. But she has to understand that her life influences many others…not just her own.

      And to top it all off, according to 1 Corinthians 6:1-8, Christians are not to sue other Christians in a secular court of law. End of story.

      Report Post »  
    • AMENDMENT
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 11:35am

      HI
      So i guess if she goes for a few drinks at the weekend with her friends, then she should also get the can from her job because that too means she don’t have the criteria to hold the position for the job shes in. I DON’T want any teacher for no amount of money to teach my children about sex before marriage, that’s MY job.

      “MDEPUTY7 Ok. So many are saying “that’s not what Jesus would have done.” So many are saying that we are judging and it is not our job to do so…it is God’s. Stop. First of all, Jesus was not against consequences. ”

      And you are NOT Jesus! so quit with wanting to condemn people for mistakes they may make on life journey. Anyway, she was getting married. So before ya try to slap me or anyone with my view with ya bible again, think about what ya typing and interpreting from the good book. Matthew 1:18-25

      Report Post » AMENDMENT  
    • lbyrd26
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 11:57am

      I take a completely different approach here. I applude her for not committing abortion, so she can sell the stem cells to big farma. She won’t get anywhere with her lawsuite, though. It’s called “Moral terpitude” and she knew about it when she was hired. She most likely even signed the contract that spelled it all out for her, when she was hired.

      Report Post »  
    • Xyskalla
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 11:58am

      You’re not allowed to judge people.

      But I’m allowed to judge you for judging people.

      Irony.

      Report Post »  
    • kaydeebeau
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 12:09pm

      @ amendment…isn’t your comment a stone in your hand?

      Report Post » kaydeebeau  
    • encinom
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 12:17pm

      Her sex life is not the business of her employer. Maybe the good Christians will one day learn to mind their own business and stay out of the lives of others.

      Report Post »  
    • cemerius
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 12:42pm

      @ Amendment…Drunkeness IS the “sin” not a few casual drinks…..I remember a story about water to wine myself!

      Report Post » cemerius  
    • Suzanne D
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 2:50pm

      @ Amendment: I understand where you’re coming from, but you MUST read the entirety of the Scriptures in order to judge this matter rightly. You are only reading PART of the Scriptures, which is clouding your discernment. There are two sides to this: 1) Paul stated in NO UNCERTAIN TERMS that we are to confront sin within the Church and cast out active sinners if they refuse to repent; 2) she OFFERED to remedy the situation by marrying this man, to whom she was already engaged. Therefore, BOTH WERE WRONG. The school was NOT WRONG to judge her sin as unacceptable, but it WAS WRONG to not accept her repentance.

      If you turn away from sin by saying “who am I to judge,” you are not acting within the commands of Scripture.

      Report Post » Suzanne D  
    • LemonyFresh
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 3:54pm

      @ENCINOM I will refer you to Hi’s response. “I’m not judging. But, if I am paying $12,000 for my kids to be taught morals at a Christian school, I certainly don’t want an unwed pregnant woman teaching my kids!”

      People do not pay big money on top of taxes for government schools just to have any random person teach, lead and influence their children. I do not know if you have children or not but suppose you do. Now, you are welcome to send you child off to the government to be taught by a teacher who strips at nights, or even makes pornography. These teachers are adults who have influence over our children. So don’t be surprised when you see your child emulate what it is exposed to. You reap what you sow. Set no barriers, no expectations and you will have a happy child. A child who rules you; and will end up living with you when he/she ends up having a child as a teen, unless of course the little mistake is “taken care of”. So you go live in your no-boundaries no-expectations world. It is great as long as things go your way.

      Report Post » LemonyFresh  
    • Crazyotto
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 5:37pm

      I may not be a true Christian but I would say the school has the right to terminate anyone due to a morals clause, incompetence or any other reason they want to… In this case I would fire her for the stupidity of getting pregnant in the first place..and I agre why didn’t she drag her worthless boyfriend down to JOP and get married on the spot.. It is how we used to do it.. anyway this school has a responsibility to foster an enviroment that teaches there are ramifications for your actions..

      Report Post » Crazyotto  
    • ZaphodsPlanet
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 7:33pm

      @AMENDMENT

      She signed a FREAKING CONTRACT you idiot. She broke the contract, and now must suffer the consequences. It’s no more than that. Nobody here is “judging” her as you like to say. And if she’s going to get married, WTF is her beau doing? Sitting on his butt? If she were in a public school it would be one thing. But SHE IS NOT… she is in a PRIVATE…. CHRISTIAN SCHOOL you schmuck.

      And oh yeah…. SHE SIGNED A CONTRACT regarding such things. This is like people who say they were “taken advantage of” by a bank getting into more mortgage than they could afford. I call BS. Time for us all to be grown ups. Remember what that is? Or are you another 17 year old idealist being paid to troll your ignorant ideals all over this site to tell everyone we’re all wrong.

      YOU’RE WRONG BONEHEAD!

      The road to hell is paved with “good intentions”….. have fun seeing where that takes you in life.

      Report Post » ZaphodsPlanet  
    • Windy City
      Posted on April 19, 2012 at 2:55pm

      I find it interesting that this “Christian” woman was going to get married, offered to get married yet still is not married and has given birth. She is a divorced mother, who already had 2 children. We can debate what type of example she is not only to the students she taught but also to her own children. The legal issue here is simply she chose to apply for and accept employment in a work place that has a moral code. She agreed to this code when she accepted employment. She chose where she worked, she chose to violate the code she agreed to; therefore she needs to accept responsibility for her decisions and find a job where her lifestyle choices do not impact her employment.

      Report Post »  
  • vaman
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:50am

    The authority of a school ends when you leave the school grounds every day. This includes teachers and students. What someone does on their time is their business. Most everyone has sex before marriage and good for them. So would this delusional school have preferred she aborted? Which one of those breaks their “moral” code more.

    Report Post »  
    • jesusletsmespeed
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:58am

      Clearly, you have no understanding of Christianity.

      Report Post »  
    • Locked
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:15am

      @Vaman

      “The authority of a school ends when you leave the school grounds every day. This includes teachers and students. What someone does on their time is their business. ”

      While a nice sentiment, this is completely false. I can think of tons of examples off the top of my head… students can be suspended for being arrested; college students can be kicked out of their dorms for being caught drinking underage; teachers can and will be fired if their out-of-school activities reflect poorly on the school (remember recent stories about the teacher fired for making porn?).

      The only question here is whether the school has discriminated her because of pregnancy or not. Being pregnant is a protected condition in discrimination law; it is illegal to fire someone just because they are pregnant. However, if she signed a contract that (for example) forbid sex outside of marriage, the school will probably argue that the pregnancy simply proves the breach of contract even though it isn’t the actual reason.

      It’ll still be a hard case to prove in court. It’s a fine line; and especially ironic in that the woman could have had an abortion and would have still had her job. I don’t feel much sympathy for a school that would fire an engaged woman raising two children who is now pregnant. I believe Jesus would concur; it would be akin to Joseph dumping Mary because she got knocked up while they were engaged.

      Report Post »  
    • Fippy
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:17am

      I’m still trying to figure out why, if the school is so hinged upon the “moral integrity” of a teacher, they had no issue with her already being an unwed mother of two…

      Report Post » Fippy  
    • sndrman
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:36am

      vaman dude, come on. really it’s a Christian school, really if in a public school and you break the code for public school teachers outside school and yes there is a contract for teachers,behavior outside school…. really dude you didn’t think this through.

      Report Post »  
    • fblair
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:00am

      The idea that “most” have sex before marriage is another one of the break downs of moral code that used to exist before the left began to educated everyone that ‘doing what you want’ is ok.

      Report Post »  
    • skypilot77
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:06am

      @ Fippy

      There are plenty of potential reasons for an unwed mother of two teaching:

      - is she widowed?
      - is she divorced? Being divorced does not disqualify a person if they were the innocent partner in the divorce. The law of the land may judge things to be “no fault” but the church often determines for church issues — guilt or innocence. Abuse, abandonment, or adultery are the typical issues looked at by the church.
      - Perhaps the children, if born in sin, were from her life prior to claiming to be a committed Christian.

      Report Post »  
    • VanceUppercut
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:28am

      @vaman

      You don’t understand, most Christians (not all, mind you) look at the Taliban and think, “How can we put together something like that?” They would love nothing more than for this country to turn into a theocracy where everyone had to follow THEIR moral code, whether they believed in it or not.

      Report Post »  
    • LAM2
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 11:53am

      @Fippy
      The article stated that she has two children from a previous marriage — referring to her as an unwed mother with regard to the first two is very misleading. I hope this was just a matter of you not carefully reading the article before posting.

      Report Post »  
    • hatchetjob
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 12:06pm

      VAMAN said, “Most everyone has sex before marriage, and good for them.”

      I feel sad for the people you grew up with. Not everyone has sex before marriage.

      Report Post » hatchetjob  
    • encinom
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 12:20pm

      jesusletsmespeed
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:58am
      Clearly, you have no understanding of Christianity.
      ______________________________
      What its a cult that seeks to control its members every waking moment?

      Report Post »  
    • VanceUppercut
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 12:34pm

      @encinom

      So you’re the guy (or gal) I’ve been accused twice of being a sock puppet for. Greetings.

      Report Post »  
    • Cagey1
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 12:42pm

      Fascinating, “Christian Values” generally call for abstinence until marriage. I shake my head at the word “generally”. Actually it is the Word of God that specifically calls for abstaining from fornication. Sex is only for a committed relationship according to the Scriptures. That Committed relationship is called Marriage. The forsaking of all others and become one in heart, mind, soul, and flesh. Question what constitutes a committed relationship other than marriage these days? The answer is nothing. Sex before marriage is fornication. Fornication is a sin.

      What did Jesus tell the woman caught in the act of adultery? He told her go and sin no more.

      Notice she did not say well it is just having sex. You know everyone does it. It is just so hard not to do it. It is so fun. How can that be wrong? Go and sin no more. Stop sinning.

      Yes, there are those of you out there that will bring up the fact that some of the Patriarchs in the Scriptures had more then one wife. They did, and how were their family dynamics? They were a total mess. Jacob’s life was rot with pain and heart ache because of his many wives. David had many wives as well and his family life was a shambles. Solomon also had many wives and he brought heathen worship into Israel for some of those foreign wives and it split the nation
      in two. Solomon was the wisest man to ever live. Yet he went against GOD too.

      Thank you LORD JESUS for paying for our sins. I want to go and sin no more. Because I

      Report Post » Cagey1  
    • cantstopthesignal
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 1:44pm

      Yes Vaman, normally I would agree with you but when your personal life ‘affects’ your work and this definitely does…then should expect to bear the consequences…they are not condemning her they are terminating her employment with them because of the choices she made outside of work…the church should embrace her and help her by getting donations from other church members for diapers, bottles etc…she may be brought back into the fold maybe not in the same capacity as before…

      Report Post » cantstopthesignal  
    • encinom
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 2:12pm

      VanceUppercut
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 12:34pm
      @encinom

      So you’re the guy (or gal) I’ve been accused twice of being a sock puppet for. Greetings.
      _______________________
      Everyone is accused of being me if they fail to parrot the master’s, Glenn Beck’s, talking points.

      Report Post »  
    • Crazyotto
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 5:44pm

      the school has a responsibility to foster an enviroment that includes teaching students there are ramifications in all actions and as such we all must accept the responsibility. This is a Christian school that I am sure advocates abstinence. How does the school reconcile the actions of the teacher with this? You cannot have teachers, administrators and others in authority running around talking about abstinence, honor, respect and then acting out the opposite.

      Report Post » Crazyotto  
    • qzak491
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 11:27am

      .
      Does this mean that GOD’S authority over Christians stops when they are not in church. If you are a Christian you are to act like it all the time. If you misrepresent who you work for you don‘t think they can’t fire you, try it and see.

      Report Post »  
  • RonaldWJR
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:48am

    Way to push someone from the faith, rather than embracing them.

    Report Post »  
    • iampraying4u
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:52am

      Go and sin no more

      Report Post »  
    • Susie
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:53am

      Oh pleeeease RONALDWJR !!!!!
      Apparently this woman cared to know nothing about “the faith”, choosing instead, her own interpretation. No one is pushing her anywhere. She’ll make sure her lawyer sees to that.
      Wise up !

      Report Post »  
    • jesusletsmespeed
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:59am

      What’s the recourse, then? We allow sin to flourish in the Church? Read some Paul.

      Report Post »  
    • CPT_GCF
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:11am

      Public sin will be dealt with publicly (within the church). The Bible gives guidelines for church elders and it would be foolish to say that leaders at a Christian school shouldn’t be held to moral standards. Forgiveness is one thing, but there are repercussions to our sinful actions.

      Report Post »  
    • Suzanne D
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 2:59pm

      @ CPT_GCF: I agree with you that there must be consequences for sinful behavior, HOWEVER, she offered to repent of her illicit relationship by immediately marrying the man. Yeshua and the Apostles were all clear on this point: if someone repents and turns from their sin, they are to be treated as a brother or sister and forgiven. So while the school was right to judge her sin, they were wrong for not accepting her plan of repentance.

      Report Post » Suzanne D  
  • Susie
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:47am

    Here’s the point. You have a teacher who is supposed to exemplify Christians morals and standards which include no sex outside of marriage. First she is violating that by sleeping with her boyfriend.
    And when she is found out – pregnancy is a pretty sure indicator – she immediately goes to a lawyer.
    Everyone wants to be able to do the wrong thing and get away with it, and when they can’t they have a tantrum. I would think this woman would be ashamed to splatter it all over the news, but, to most, Christianity today is whatever you personally want to mould it into so that shame no longer exists.

    Report Post »  
    • justangry
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:57am

      What about the example of forgiveness?

      Report Post » justangry  
    • kaydeebeau
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:15am

      Well, forgiveness doesn’t absolve from the consequences of bad choices. God’s forgiveness prevents the death penalty of an eternal separation from Him. We are not spared the other consequesnces of our choices and bad decisions. Consequences are how we learn

      Report Post » kaydeebeau  
    • Intense66
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:33am

      Justangry…What about taking responsibility for your actions??? It‘s not the school’s responsibility that she was engaging in behavior unbecoming of an individual teaching at a Christian school. What kind of example is she setting for her students??? A bad one…

      Report Post » Intense66  
    • justangry
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:42am

      @Intense… What kind of example… um how about human? People make mistakes. Isn’t that why Jesus died on the cross? I mean you all can justify your judging her anyway you like, it doesn’t make it right. It’s not your job to do, and you all know it.

      Report Post » justangry  
    • hi
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:34am

      justangry
      We are not judging. We are paying a lot of money for our kids to be taught by moral teachers. If she were at my school. I’d step up and help her financially. But, I still wouldn’t want her teaching my kid immorality.

      Report Post » hi  
    • minorityconservative2
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:52am

      No one is judging her. They are judging her actions. Her actions were wrong. I would not want her teaching my young daughter you can be pregnant outside marriage and it is ok. She needs to take responsibility for what she did and ask for forgiveness. Just because she gets forgiveness does not mean that there are not punishments/consequences for the wrong you did. Should we just let murderers go once they say sorry? Or rapists? Robbers? We should just let anyone do whatever is right in their own eyes and then say sorry and let them go on their merry way. I think not. Her punishment fits her crime. She violated standards and she gets fired. Go to another school. Instead she wants to sue for her doing the wrong thing. She wants to escape payment for her wrong. Sounds to me like she is not in the least repentant. And after all this she is almost ready to give birth and still not married. If she were a CHRISTian you would think she would not want her child born a b*****d. The Bible talks about children born out of wedlock. I am one of those born out of wedlock. I wish it had been different.

      Report Post »  
    • Windwalker
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 11:47am

      If this woman signed a contract whether @ a secular or nonsecular educational institution and that contract spoke to this type of behavior or any behavior requirements and termination consequences of certain prohibited behaviors , she will lose this case. Let’s not forget that faculty members who are employed at schools and colleges can be fired for a lot of reasons i.e.: fraternizing sexually with underage students, joining the KKK, etc…….all depends on the contract they signed. Witness the recent firing of Bobby Petrino…..it’s all about the contract.

      Report Post »  
    • hatchetjob
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 12:12pm

      KAYDEEBEAU, I couldn’t have explained it better.

      Report Post » hatchetjob  
    • justangry
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 12:44pm

      Sorry, I call them like I see them. What is see is sanctimony and judgement. Besides, it’s not me who you all have to convince otherwise.

      Report Post » justangry  
    • Suzanne D
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 3:04pm

      Your point is NOT the point: first of all, she wasn’t “found out,” she CONFESSED HER SIN to the school leadership. Her sin was, at that time, rightfully judged. Next, she OFFERED A PLAN OF REPENTANCE, which was rejected in direct contradiction to Scripture. THAT is what seems to be the point of this story. She will lose the lawsuit, however. What she should have chosen instead was to meet with higher up leadership in an effort to keep this out of the courts, since one believer should not sue another for a reason such as this.

      Report Post » Suzanne D  
    • deeberj
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 3:37pm

      Just angry – you said “People make mistakes. Isn’t that why Jesus died on the cross?”

      No. He didn’t die for “mistakes”. He died for sin. So that we could be forgiven of sin and not pay the penalty of sin which is eternal separation from God’s presence.

      God can forgive a person, people can forgive each other, but it does not do away with earthly consequences. Most times we have to suffer the earthly consequences of our sins. I kill someone I go to jail, even if God and the surviving loved ones forgive me.

      Report Post » deeberj  
  • Rickfromillinois
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:43am

    This is a PRIVATE Religious school. Hard as it is to understand by some, they have certain moral codes that they expect not only their faculty but also their students to follow. This teacher knew that when she hired on there, and despite what she says, she knew it when she got pregnant out of wedlock. As for those who keep saying that it is against the law for them to “discriminate” against her for being pregnant, they aren’t. They fired her for being pregnant without being MARRIED. A private religious organization does have that right just as they have the right to fire a teacher who visits strip joints or who drinks allot. The faculty of a religious school is expected to set a moral example. It is a PRIVATE school and if the teacher has a problem following the rules then she should have gotten a job somewhere else.

    One other thing, a religious school has the right to demand that the members of their faculty are also followers of that religion. That is the school’s right as part of a religious organization. Another example is that if a church has a female minister who is unmarried and gets pregnant, they have every right to fire her. It’s called freedom of religion.

    Report Post » Rickfromillinois  
    • PAULBOTPATRIOT
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:27am

      Wow i was going to reply but it looks like you were going to say everything that i was going to say so thanks. Very astute of you. It seems like people are so quick to get a lawyer these days. Its called freedom people. She was free to join the school faculty knowingly of their religious views and i would suspect, being a follower of the faith as well. They are, along the same lines of freedom, allowed to fire her for going against what the school stood for. I’m not a christian but i agree with some principals of christianity. Do unto others and so forth. Love thy neighbor. Now if our govt would follow these principals i wonder how different things would be..but thats for a completely different thread so i will leave it at that. Privately owned institutions make their own rules. Just like a person who works for a company that requires you to tuck your shirt in and wear a tie everyday, this individual just needed to not get knocked up in a “single” status on her taxes.

      Report Post »  
    • Windwalker
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 11:37am

      My guess is, even though Heritage is a christian school, they most likely have their faculty sign a contract at there hiring, and/or have them sign a statement of faith outlining behavior, etc. This woman is seeking legal “rights” in a secular setting. Even though I am not a catholic, it is critical that the recent fight of the catholic church over being forced to provide abortion health coverage for people employed by catholic hospitals, nursing homes, childrens orphanges, and even office help in church offices needs to be struck down. Obamacare needs to be repealed. This type of lawsuit is what will follow at various religious institutions. We do (or did) have separation of church and state in the country. Before these progressives are through, they will attempt to control every facet of our lives.

      Report Post »  
  • skypilot77
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:35am

    This is going to be decided on the basis of the First Amendment.

    The church has the free exercise clause. If the church running this school wrote into the contract a moral clause, then they have the right to enforce that clause.

    I’d be surprised if such a clause was not in the contract.

    ————————

    Oh, and why has she not gotten married yet? Might that partially solve the money issue?

    Report Post »  
    • skypilot77
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:56am

      The firing would be for fornication, not the pregnancy. The lawyer has got that wrong too

      Report Post »  
    • hatchetjob
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 12:17pm

      The teacher’s shack up honey is probably long gone.

      Report Post » hatchetjob  
  • 65Mustang
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:34am

    I don‘t know if she should have been fired but she certainly wasn’t living the life of someone with morals.

    Report Post »  
    • Marine25
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:50am

      Perhaps the school would have preferred she had an abortion and therefore not become an unwed mother.

      What is the school’s policy on unwed fathers teaching at the school?

      Report Post »  
    • minorityconservative2
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:58am

      Of course no one would want her to get an abortion and compound the sin she has already done. It is harder to tell if a man has fathered a child outside marriage as they are not the ones that carry the baby. The only way we can tell if they did is to talk about it. I say you do the same with them if they are having sex outside marriage. Fire them!

      Report Post »  
    • deeberj
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 3:31pm

      Marine, I think an unwed father would be fired too. This is not sexist. It has to do with sexual sin and getting caught.

      Report Post » deeberj  
  • Magyar
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:29am

    If the “transgressor” signed a contract with this PRIVATE school containing a morality clause spelled out in black and white, then she breached the contract with the school but worse– with GOD. But, Jesus spilled his blood so she could be forgiven. A real double edge sword for her and the school! I go with Jesus and so perhaps the school should, too.

    Report Post »  
    • minorityconservative2
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 11:02am

      When I have done the wrong thing as a CHRISTian I still had consequences for what I did. I am a sinner. GOD does not promise that there will be no punishment in human terms, just that there is forgiveness in his terms. Read your New Testament to find that people were ostracized when they were in sin.

      Report Post »  
  • Itsjusttim
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:18am

    See the problem with women (that be taken from men), having children when they are not married is that their children will have a far greater chance to be taken captive in Babylon, because women are just not good at getting “The word” across to their children. That‘s why government actually likes it when children don’t have daddies. Yep I’m afraid their children will grow up depending on idols, celebrities, and handouts for their food, instead of worshiping in the highest points of the earth.

    Report Post » Itsjusttim  
    • Itsjusttim
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:33am

      But do you think American women would even remotely understand this concept when American women have been told for so long “Oh men have held you down, oh you don’t get treated like you deserve, oh you should do this and that because it‘s a man’s world and it shouldn’t be?” No, progressives have given women the mark in their forehead of which “A stone” from David could never penetrate.

      Report Post » Itsjusttim  
    • Itsjusttim
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:35am

      Therefore, you can look in the Bible to see what God does unto a people who his word can not penetrate.

      Report Post » Itsjusttim  
    • iampraying4u
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:55am

      itsjusttim take your meds

      Report Post »  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:13am

    .
    If she only had used an Asprin, none of this would have happened. Slut…..

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
  • kickagrandma
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:08am

    Agree with the fact that “unwanted” (by humans, not by GOD) pregnancies occur hourly, probably. How many of us are sure we were “really wanted” when we were conceived? We don’t know, do we? However, I think this young woman has shown her true colors by suing the school. What kind of example is that? We humans do not take punishment or correction well.

    In the Bible, we CHRIST-followers are admonished to “come out and be separate…”. We are told the world’s ways are not HIS ways, and that we are “a peculiar people”.

    THE HARBINGER by Jonathan Cahn, folks. Now.

    Report Post »  
  • Stew57
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:06am

    The woman‘s attitude shows shouldn’t be teaching at a Chrisrtian school. She should have said i messed up, it’s my fault, and can something be done for my insurances situatuion? There is a father that should step up. Pay cash if you have to. Usually you have a few months to save. get married to the guy save your living expences. Oh wait easier to blame everyone else.

    Report Post »  
  • justangry
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:05am

    How compassionate. I don‘t think that’s what Jesus would have done.

    Report Post » justangry  
    • Fippy
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:18am

      LOL, probably not. But then again, the modern Christian has nothing in common with Jesus.

      The only thing most modern day Christians know how to do is be judgmental, and the handful that actually life a Christ-worthy life are drowned out by all the holier-than-thou pr*cks who are nothing more than a waste of good oxygen.

      Report Post » Fippy  
    • Itsjusttim
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:24am

      Jesus would have said to her: if you would have saw the importance of your child needing a father, because if you can not see the need for a father in the earth, then surely you can not see the need of Heavenly Father, then I would have given you the living waters.
      That’s what Jesus would say.
      So just go on inventing some kind of twisted understanding of Jesus, and see what it gets you.

      Report Post » Itsjusttim  
    • justangry
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:31am

      They are a sanctimonious lot. Unable of forgiving others for their trespasses.

      Report Post » justangry  
    • SquidVetOhio
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:32am

      You people have no idea who Jesus is or what He would have done. You have obviously never read the new testament. She committed fornication. It is a sin and a reproach to God. It is forgivable but God’s forgiveness does not ever mean that there is no earthly penalty to be paid. Quite the opposite. The school is not acting “Holier than thou”. They have to live by the same rules. I love when christians are judged by the Biblically ignorant about being judgmental. It’s like a figure skater commenting on football. You don‘t know what you’re talking about.

      Report Post » SquidVetOhio  
    • justangry
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:15am

      Mary Magdalene fornicated, no? Seems to me you would have been with the stoning crowd.

      Report Post » justangry  
    • hi
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:31am

      Jesus forgives sins, but we still suffer the consequences of sin on earth. He doesn’t stop the consequences.

      Report Post » hi  
    • mdeputy7
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:38am

      Ok listen. You all are saying “that’s not what Jesus would have done.” Stop. First of all, Jesus was not against consequences. He was against KILLING people for their sins in a judgmental way. This is not a situation where the school is being judgmental. This is a situation in which she will be a bad example of Christian values for the students who look up to her. When you are put in a position of authority, you are expected to live at a higher standard. Does nobody remember the mantra ‘with great power comes great responsibility”? Being a teacher…especially in a Christian school…is great power. She failed on the responsibility side, and there are consequences.

      Mind you, I am not saying that she should be shunned and banned from the church or anything like that. But she has to understand that her life influences many others…not just her own.

      And to top it all off, according to 1 Corinthians 6:1-8, Christians are not to sue other Christians in a secular court of law. End of story.

      Report Post »  
    • kaydeebeau
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 1:31pm

      Mary Magdelene was not a prostitute or a fornicator. Jesus cast out demons from her –

      Mark 16:9 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.

      Luke 8:2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out;

      Report Post » kaydeebeau  
    • COFemale
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:00pm

      Well Fippy I see you have no moral codes.

      Bottom line she broke the contract with the school. They fired her and now the baby daddy won’t marry her? If she was repentant she’d be married by now. I’m thinking baby daddy has taken a hike and now she needs money, so here answer is sue the school. She will lose.

      Report Post » COFemale  
  • Locked
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:04am

    “It‘s against the law to fire someone for them taking a pregnancy leave and you can’t preventatively fire someone. You can’t contract around anti-discrimination laws.”

    Pretty much the issue at hand. It IS illegal to fire someone to keep them from taking pregnancy leave. Now, whether a court will agree with the woman’s reasoning (fired to prevent pregnancy leave) or the school’s (failure to adhere to the moral code) remains to be seen.

    Report Post »  
    • kaydeebeau
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 1:38pm

      She was fired because of commintting sexual sin which according to God is sex outside of marriage

      Report Post » kaydeebeau  
  • HowardSternIsABigot
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:02am

    Plenty of public schools full of whores and sluts and pervs that will hire her. She apparently doesnt believe what the school teaches so how can she in good conscience take their money. Or does a school have the right to determine the values they will teach? Can a teacher be effective when obviosly mocking those values?

    Report Post »  
    • hatchetjob
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 12:26pm

      Maybe the teacher is turning into Octomom, and wants a wad of money to pay for her mess. She has no shame.

      Report Post » hatchetjob  
  • Jenny Lind
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 7:56am

    It’s all about the contract, In Christian schoolsI am pretty sure the sign a portion about moral values being upheld. If she broke her contract, she has no recourse, although the left will happily use her to show how mean Christians are.

    Report Post »  
    • Locked
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:09am

      Contracts do not counteract illegal actions. If the school broke anti-discrimination laws, it doesn’t matter what the woman signed. It will be up to the courts to decide if the school was wrong in this case or not.

      Report Post »  
    • SquidVetOhio
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:34am

      They didn’t break anti-descrimination laws. I’m sure married pregnant women are not fired. Boom! There goes that inane arguement. What else you got?

      Report Post » SquidVetOhio  
    • Marine25
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:55am

      @squidvet
      you just made the argument that she was discriminated against. What else you got?

      Report Post »  
    • Locked
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:56am

      @Squid

      That’s a good point to bring up in court, and I’m sure the school will do so. I’m neutral in the whole thing; I personally feel it’s poor judgment for a school to fire an engaged, pregnant teacher already raising two other children (especially since she would have been married the prior year if delays had not come up); but the teacher obviously knew who she was working for and what the potential problems could be.

      I believe that Jesus would judge the school more than the woman in this case. But neither me, nor He, will be deciding this case; the US legal system will.

      Report Post »  
    • Locked
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:57am

      Also, random musing, but I find it sadly ironic that if she didn’t inform the school and just aborted the child, she would still have a job. Seems like sort of a messed up world sometimes.

      Report Post »  
  • AJAYW
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 7:54am

    Get your baby daddy to help you looser

    Report Post »  
    • little big man
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:02am

      If the school had somthing in the contract of employment about becoming pregnant with out being married she’s toast next time keep your legs closed.

      Report Post » little big man  
    • troymac20
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 11:33am

      Unless their contract violated anti-discrimination laws. Then it‘s the school that’s toast.

      Report Post » troymac20  
  • BrerRabbit
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 7:43am

    Good. I would nt want her in my child’s classroom.

    Report Post »  
  • THXll38
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 7:34am

    At 1:27 there is a Gadsden Flag and a Rosie the Riveter sign. Pretty ironic that these are shown in the video because the women was indeed stomped on aka thrown under the bus, and the symbol of women doing men work does not sit well in the mind of a wacked out christian nutter that supports the ideology that women are good for three things: cooking, cleaning, and child birth.

    Report Post » THXll38  
  • JesusFreak95
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 7:33am

    If she was willing to stand before the Students and God and confess her sin and ask for forgiveness and show true repentance, she should be given a chance. Unfortunately, she has chosen to shake her fist at the authority of her employer and God, which is what society is all about today. Her actions show the school was correct. I’m sure some liberal public institution would love to have her as a roll model.

    Report Post » JesusFreak95  
  • Baddoggy
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 7:32am

    The guy that did it was hard up…Yikes, she looks like a guy with long hair to me.

    Report Post » Baddoggy  
  • mikem1969
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 7:32am

    Here’s the thing, when you are a teaching in a Christian school, you are to be held to higher moral standards because you are supposed to teach those higher moral standards to the children you are there to educate. Sure unwed christians get pregnant every day of the week, but she was a teacher in a christian school. Bye bye.

    Report Post »  
  • cassandra
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 7:24am

    How long does it take to get married ? go to city hall and get married , don’t you just cringe when you see all these pregnant women out there with a fiance even when they have 2,3 kids by their so called fiance

    Report Post »  
    • encinom
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 12:22pm

      Marriage is her choice or should the employer tell its employees when and who to marry.

      Report Post »  
    • deeberj
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 3:24pm

      Encinom or whoever you are – A Christian school can fire an employee who failed morally. In Christian teachings sex out side of marriage is immoral. Hence the firing. They are not telling her who to marry. They are telling her you can’t work here when you get caught in a moral failure.

      Report Post » deeberj  
    • encinom
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 3:43pm

      A Christian School is still bound by the secular laws inclduing anti-discrimination, mothers to be are a protected class.

      But the real issue is that the Church has no business in the private lives of its employees. the Church is just a scam for the weak mind to surrender their freedoms and free will to old men waving around books of fairy tales and myths.

      Report Post »  
    • Git-R-Done
      Posted on April 16, 2012 at 12:44pm

      Encinom – You Marxists have no business in telling employers what they can and can‘t do and who they can and can’t hire. Anti-discrimination laws do NOT apply in fornication in case you missed it. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

      Report Post »  
  • lukerw
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 7:22am

    I feel sorry for her… she’s been Fluked more ways than one!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • blanco5
    Posted on April 12, 2012 at 7:12am

    Remember the days when churches and businesses could dictate their own rules and regulations? Me either.

    Report Post »  
    • NewLife24
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 7:28am

      Why is this a story on the Blaze? Christians are dying for their faith. This site is becoming a sensationalized push for shock. The Bible teaches us not to sue one another. She is guilty and should accept their rules as part of the requirement she agreed to when hired.

      1 Corinthians 6
      New King James Version (NKJV)

      Do Not Sue the Brethren
      6 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? 4 If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? 5 I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!

      Report Post » NewLife24  
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