Teacher fired for getting pregnant weeks before marriage

[bored]

Agree 100% with the christian school firing her. Her actions are 100% the opposite of what the school probably teaches is acceptable.

I disagree 100% with telling anyone why she was fired. It's really no ones business.

 

[Jennasis]

Agree 100% with the christian school firing her. Her actions are 100% the opposite of what the school probably teaches is acceptable.

I disagree 100% with telling anyone why she was fired. It's really no ones business.

I think this is where I fall. While I DO NOT AGREE with the school's stance at all, I totally understand their decision. Of course, if they never made known this "no sex" rule, it will be harder for me to accept.

But telling the parents and faculty? Not acceptable at all.

 

[NHdisneylover]

In the interview, she went in to request maternity leave, and the principle did some quick math in his head and asked her "when did you get married again?". She told him and then he asked her if she got pregnant before they got married (3 weeks before they got married BTW). I agree though she should have just said "I don't discuss my medical status with anyone but my doctor and husband".

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/37683676#37683676
Here is the story from The Today Show.


I'm just wondering how clear the "rules" were. You'd think if she knew that there was a no sex clause, she would've kept her mouth shut to the principle. The couple did clearly state that there was no morality clause in her contract and I haven't seen the school counter with "she signed a morality contract".

Thanks for that link.

I think the school was waaaaay out of line to inform the parents and staff of why she was terminated. I think she should be able to sue over that invasion of privacy.

I do not think that she has any basis to sue on the basis of being fired and I think the lawyer's comment about "this is a school not a church" is hogwash--it is a private religious school, which allows them to make such moral judgments.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I disagree 100% with telling anyone why she was fired. It's really no ones business.

Agree and I hope she hits them hard with that. I have to say that telling the parents/staff for the reason of the firing was hateful.

It was like they were giving her the proverbial "Scarlet Letter" in her local Christian community.

I do have to say that I would change my opinion *IF* I found out that she started going to a lawyer/or public media and THEN the church told the staff/parents.

Obviously if she went to the media first then the church did have an obligation to the congregation to inform them. Anyone know the timing of the telling of the staff/parents?

 

[Wishing on a star]

Excellent point.

If this story broke because she went to a lawyer and/or the media, then that would mean that she kind of forced their hand.

Even so, the correct thing to do would be for the Church/School to have 'No Comment'.

 

[pigletgirl]

Thats terrible. I hate the christian schools and 'culture'.

 

[Hawks4Realz]

1) I completely agree with the school's decision to terminate employment. A teacher needs to represent the school's values, whether or not those values are listed in a contract. Is a Catholic schools suppose to list the 10 commandments in every employment contract?

2) I also don't think the school was out of line in informing parents why the teacher was dismissed. It's a private school and parents are paying large sums of money for their children to receive a great education AND be brought up with traditional Christian values. If a teacher is going against that and has been around someone's kids, the parents have every right to know what happened. This isn't like Microsoft terminating an employee and then telling all employees why said person was terminated. Situations are completely different.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I wonder, do teachers really think that they are some kind of protected class or something?

Actually, I think pregnancy is a protected status. But I can't be sure about that.

 

[Mickey's Minion]

Excellent point.

If this story broke because she went to a lawyer and/or the media, then that would mean that she kind of forced their hand.

Even so, the correct thing to do would be for the Church/School to have 'No Comment'.

It will be interesting to see this play out. I am not a lawyer, but I think that even if she did go to the media first, they still could not legally divulge a medical condition, which pregnancy is.

I worked in Human Resources for years and we could never divulge why anyone was fired, and really, really could never share any medical information with anybody else. There were many ways an ex employee could sue and win, we had very strict rules on how much information we could give out. HIPAA privacy rules were very strict and our employer went to extremes to protect privacy due to the likelihood of being sued if we divulged info.

That said, the Christian school was in their rights to fire her if it was in her contract.

They were not within their rights to question a medical condition. And really out of line to divulge her medical information, even if she went to the media first. They are bound to HIPAA Privacy rules just like any other employer.

And as for the teacher, how stupid can one be to admit to a Christian school that you became pregnant before you got married. If she taught there, she must know the basics of Christianity, and a Christian school does not look very kindly on premarital sex, let alone a child conceived before marriage.

Sounds like the school and the teacher deserve each other. They are both stupid.

 

[NY Disney fan]

What the school should have done was NOT fire her but written her up privately or done something privately to show that they were not happy.

 

[Mickey's Minion]

2) I also don't think the school was out of line in informing parents why the teacher was dismissed. It's a private school and parents are paying large sums of money for their children to receive a great education AND be brought up with traditional Christian values. If a teacher is going against that and has been around someone's kids, the parents have every right to know what happened. This isn't like Microsoft terminating an employee and then telling all employees why said person was terminated. Situations are completely different.

Actually, no, the parents are not entitled to know why she was fired. She did not assault or harm the children (except maybe spiritually in some's minds), so there is no need for disclosure, especially when disclosure is against HIPAA laws and violates the teacher's privacy.

Being fired from a school, even a Christian school, is absolutely no different than being fired from Microsoft. They are both employers and both need to adhere to employment laws. Just because you claim Christianity does not put you above the law.

 

[Hawks4Realz]

Actually, no, the parents are not entitled to know why she was fired. She did not harm the children, so there is no need for disclosure, especially when disclosure is against HIPAA laws and violates the teacher's privacy.

Being fired from a school is absolutely no different than being fired from Microsoft. They are both employers and both need to adhere to employment laws. Just because you claim Christianity does not put you above the law.

In your opinion she didn't harm the kids. You could also make the claim that she is being a bad influence by engaging in premarital sex (NOT a traditional Christian value).

 

[NHdisneylover]

In your opinion she didn't harm the kids. You could also make the claim that she is being a bad influence by engaging in premarital sex (NOT a traditional Christian value).

Given that he children would NOT have known she engaged in premarital sex had the school not publicized it--I think the administration caused any harm and not her.

 

[Disney Doll]

If the teacher knew the rules prior to being hired then I have no issue with the school firing her for breaking the rules.

 

[Mickey's Minion]

In your opinion she didn't harm the kids. You could also make the claim that she is being a bad influence by engaging in premarital sex (NOT a traditional Christian value).

Being a bad spiritual influence is not covered in HIPAA privacy laws as being an exception to privacy rules.

Just because it may have ruffled some spiritual feathers, that is not basis for the school to break the law.

This country is bound by our laws, and we are not a religious state where religion is exempt from laws.

I paid big bucks for my Microsoft Vista computer and software, and subsequently endured lots of headaches with it, so I feel entitled to know why Joe Smoe was fired.

 

[Colleen27]

In your opinion she didn't harm the kids. You could also make the claim that she is being a bad influence by engaging in premarital sex (NOT a traditional Christian value).

But if the school hadn't announced it, no one ever would have known other than the couple, the principal, and God. Where's the bad influence in a teacher doing something that the children are never aware of?

I agree with an earlier poster who speculated that the school was just looking for a reason to can her. She shouldn't have said a word about when the baby was conceived, but a lot of people make the mistake of assuming others will be understanding and respectful when too often that is not the case.

 

[NikitaZee]

Given that he children would NOT have known she engaged in premarital sex had the school not publicized it--I think the administration caused any harm and not her.

Correct. She was already married when she approached the school about her maternity leave - she could have easily told them she conceived on her honeymoon, and when the baby was born no one would have been the wiser. How many times do church officials hold someone up as a public example of what not to do as a Chrisitian - and then we find out that those same officials are having affairs, seeing prostitutes, etc. Hypocrisy abounds.

 

[Hawks4Realz]

Being a bad spiritual influence is not covered in HIPAA privacy laws as being an exception to privacy rules.

Just because it may have ruffled some spiritual feathers, that is not basis for the school to break the law.

This country is bound by our laws, and we are not a religious state where religion is exempt from laws.

I paid big bucks for my Microsoft Vista computer and software, and subsequently endured lots of headaches with it, so I feel entitled to know why Joe Smoe was fired.

Most likely the school and the teacher will come to some type of settlement. However this teacher will never teach at a religious school again.

 

[Hawks4Realz]

Correct. She was already married when she approached the school about her maternity leave - she could have easily told them she conceived on her honeymoon, and when the baby was born no one would have been the wiser. How many times do church officials hold someone up as a public example of what not to do as a Chrisitian - and then we find out that those same officials are having affairs, seeing prostitutes, etc. Hypocrisy abounds.

Maybe but it's their institution and their rules.

 

[jodifla]

Well, so much for Jesus' message of forgiveness. Way to go, Christian school!

The other ironic thing is that the message if you are unmarried and get pregnant at one of these "Christian" schools, is this: Have an abortion to keep your job.

I think the teacher should have just played dumb, but it sounds like they were determined to make an example of her -- again, WWJD?