EGN NEWS DESK
A Christian college assistant who was fired after sharing issues about intercourse schooling classes and transgenderism in faculties may have her case heard in the present day by the Court of Appeal.
Kristie Higgs is being supported by the Christian Legal Centre, which mentioned that her case “has important ramifications for Christian freedom within the office and the liberty of any worker to specific biblical ideas on marriage and household, a few of which can specific opposition to LGBTQI+ ideology, in public or personal, with out the concern of shedding their livelihoods”.
Higgs misplaced her job at Farmor’s Secondary School in 2019 over two posts she shared the 12 months earlier than on her private Facebook account below her maiden title.
The posts questioned the introduction of obligatory relationships and intercourse schooling classes in her son’s major college, and the promotion of transgenderism at school library books. Although the posts didn’t point out her employer, the college acquired an nameless grievance, resulting in her dismissal for gross misconduct.
She challenged her sacking at an employment tribunal in 2020 however the judgment upheld the college’s choice, concluding that it was justified in firing her as a result of her posts may very well be perceived as “transphobic” and “homophobic”.
An Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) dominated that the case ought to be despatched again to the Employment Tribunal to be heard once more, however this verdict was efficiently appealed by Higgs’ attorneys who argued that the ruling and steerage from the EAT diminished free speech protections.
Granting permission for her case to be heard by the Court of Appeal, Lady Justice Elisabeth Laing mentioned earlier this 12 months that the case “raises at the very least three necessary questions concerning the dismissal of an worker for the expression of her beliefs”.
These embrace the “inaccurate view that [Mrs Higgs’] views constituted illegal discrimination”, and “the extent to which an employer could lawfully dismiss an worker for expressing views that are based mostly on her spiritual beliefs in a discussion board which isn’t within the office, shouldn’t be managed by the employer, and which has a restricted variety of members”.
Speaking forward of Wednesday’s listening to, Mrs Higgs mentioned she was praying for a ruling “that protects Christian workers and oldsters’ freedom to specific their beliefs with out concern or being silenced”.
“I would not need any mother or father to undergo what I’ve over the previous 5 years. Nobody ought to be sacked for elevating the issues that I did in the best way that I did,” she mentioned.
“One of the largest issues for me was that this harmful and anti-Christian ideology was being launched right into a Church of England college. I may see that what was taking place was dangerous, and no mother and father appeared to learn about it.
“My posts have been a warning and a lot of what has occurred within the debate over the previous 5 years has vindicated me. Transgender ideology and excessive intercourse schooling is dangerous to kids and should not have any place in faculties, particularly not Christian major faculties.”
Andrea Williams, chief govt of the Christian Legal Centre, mentioned the case was “profoundly necessary at no cost speech and Christian freedom” and would “set an necessary authorized precedent for a few years to come back”.
“This case has uncovered at each stage systemic prejudice in opposition to the Christian religion and its teachings. First at her college after which within the courts. Now is the time to place issues proper,” she mentioned.
“The final result of this case will likely be enormous and has been a protracted five-year journey.”
She added, “We pray now for justice for Kristie and that there will likely be a ruling that not solely protects Christian freedoms, but in addition protects freedom for everybody within the UK.”
Interventions are being made within the case by Sex Matters, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the Church of England Archbishops’ Council, the Free Speech Union and the Association of Christian Teachers.
Sex Matters mentioned that “most instances of perception discrimination which can be developing in courts and tribunals for the time being are direct discrimination – the true objection is to the assumption, and to not the actual approach (or time or place) the particular person manifested it”.
It mentioned, “Kristie Higgs’ issues about gender-identity affirmation in faculties, expressed in ‘florid’ language in a Facebook put up in 2018, weren’t solely an expression of her spiritual beliefs, however have been additionally mirrored in 2024 within the extra fastidiously written Cass Review.
“The query of what makes the manifestation of a specific perception legally ‘objectionable’ is particular to context – the goals of the organisation and the particular person’s job. It shouldn’t be a sweeping and imprecise ethical judgment to be made by employment tribunals, archbishops or Stonewall.”
