Teacher loses job at Christian school because she's pregnant OOW

Lucia

Lucia

Well-Known Member
source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/highs...stian-school-wedlock-pregnancy-145601399.html


In an incredibly bizarre situation that appears headed for a legal challenge, a Dallas-area volleyball coach and science teacher was fired by the Christian school at which she worked for becoming pregnant before being married.


As first reported by Dallas Fort Worth network WFAA, Rockwall (Texas) Heritage Christian Academy volleyball coach and science teacher Cathy Samford was fired during the fall semester after she became pregnant out of wedlock. Samford had led the volleyball program for three years and had been named the school's coach of the year once during that span.
Still, that couldn't help save her job when she first admitted her pregnancy during the fall semester, with the school terminating her based on a violation of her contract's morals clause because it was determined her pregnancy meant she could not serve as "a Christian role model."
"I looked it up and thought, 'They can't do this,'" the 29-year-old Samford told WFAA. "We all have different views and interpretations. It's not necessarily the Christian thing to do to throw somebody aside because of those."
While Samford and her lawyer, Colin Walsh, are working toward filing a discrimination suit against the school, their case may be complicated by the fact that Heritage Christian Academy is a private school, and recent Supreme Court decisions have defended the right of Christian schools to exert more influence on their hirings and firings because they consider teachers to be "ministers in the classroom."
"The Supreme Court, as a matter of fact in the last month, has ruled 9-to-0 that a Christian school does have that right, because this is a ministry, so we have the right to have standards of conduct," Heritage Christian Academy headmaster Dr. Ron Taylor, who acknowledged that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission had contacted the school, told WFAA. "How's it going to look to a little fourth-grade girl that sees she's pregnant and she's not married?"
While the two parties attempted mediation, those efforts failed quickly because the school refused to consider a settlement for the case.
That has left Samford uninsured and in financial distress as she heads towards giving birth, a situation she never considered possible when she was a proud member of Heritage Christian Academy's faculty.

~~~~~~~~~~~

She's up stinky creek without a paddle, I don't think she can win any case, they might pay her to make her go away and be quiet. Then again they're standing on Christian morality clause and she signed the contract that she should have read thoroughly. But I think contract or not she still can't win, it's a religiously based school, so they have the right to hold her as a teacher/minister to a higher standard. I mean what would be her answer in a Christian setting too one of her students regarding her pregnancy?
I think even in public schools this would pose a "problem" on the moral role model issue as well because they make pregnant girls leave public school and take GED night classes, so a teacher pregnant OOW they would probably hide her, or fire her too. It's harsh to do this to her but I guess she thought they would be OK with it-oops. Well if she thinks these Christians are tough wait until Santorum is running the country-but that's for another forum.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What do you think about it?
 
It's a private school so they can do what they want... I wouldn't want to fire her.

My friend subbed at a private school and had to sign a morality agreement. She signed and understood the agreement.
 
Without condemnation...

It's not setting the right standard or example for the children.

This is why we have so many young teens and 'tweens' having sex, of which they are not ready for and are having babies far too young. They are following the grownups bad decisions in life.

As badly as I feel for the woman, she is being selfish. She needs to allow God to lead her from this issue, have her baby and focus on getting her life back on track with God and to live without sin.

I'm truly fed up with those who seek to sue Churches, Ministries and Christian Schools, for standing upon God's principals. If it's not gays whining and crying and suing, now it's a woman who is clearly in the wrong.

God will take care of her; suing the Church is not a healthy course of action. She needs to move on with life and prepare to take care of her baby.
 
I think she's out of luck. The fact is that she signed a morality agreement. At a private Christian school that gets no government funding. Then she got pregnant OOW. What she should have done was to seek other employment during her first trimester and left for another position without said clause and avoided all the commotion.

And this is a little different that the hospital/birth control issue.
 
She shouldn't sue the school. The morality clause that she signed is what it is.

However, it does not seem like a very pro life thing to do on the school's behalf. Woman gets pregnant and you take away her access to prenatal healthcare. The average unemployed person cannot afford COBRA.

I don't know what the 'right' remedy for this situation, but the whole thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
 
We have to be responsible for our actions. When you are in a position of influence you are morally (and in this case contractually) bound to uphold standards. If she was a Sunday School teacher at my church I would definately not want her maintaining that position while pregnant oow. And since this is a private Christian school they SHOULD uphold the principles of God's Word.

A church I know of in the area just sat down one of its musicians because he got his girlfriend pregnant. I was so happy to hear that because often it is only the girl who gets the "punishment".

It does suck about the insurance but if she worked for any other private company and had violated her contract, perhaps violated confidentiality or something, we would probebly say its her own fault and she should have thought about that before she breached her contract. But she can get medicaid and WIC so she can have a healthy pregnancy.

If morals and standards should be upheld ANYWHERE it should be at places that proclaims the name of God as their foundation.
 
Because thanks wasnt enough for this post! :yep:

So true!

When you work for a company you are a represenative for them. If they didn't take action it would look like they was in agreement with it. So I agree with their actions.


CoilyFields said:
We have to be responsible for our actions. When you are in a position of influence you are morally (and in this case contractually) bound to uphold standards. If she was a Sunday School teacher at my church I would definately not want her maintaining that position while pregnant oow. And since this is a private Christian school they SHOULD uphold the principles of God's Word.

A church I know of in the area just sat down one of its musicians because he got his girlfriend pregnant. I was so happy to hear that because often it is only the girl who gets the "punishment".

It does suck about the insurance but if she worked for any other private company and had violated her contract, perhaps violated confidentiality or something, we would probebly say its her own fault and she should have thought about that before she breached her contract. But she can get medicaid and WIC so she can have a healthy pregnancy.

If morals and standards should be upheld ANYWHERE it should be at places that proclaims the name of God as their foundation.
Click to expand...
 
Crackers Phinn said:
But what about her unborn child?
Click to expand...

I know it seems 'callous', no one is intentionally uncaring about this innocent life she is carrying. It is 'she', this woman... she's the one not thinking about the consequences upon which she 'herself' has brought upon her child, it's not the Christian school.

This woman made a choice to have sex outside of marriage. This was 'her' choice. She also made this choice knowing the standards of the School.

When a baby suffers, it's almost always the fault of the parent(s) not those in the nuclear surroundings of these lives.

It's as if she is trying to fault the school for her choice of sin and the consequences of it, when she's the one who created this situation in her life. If nothing more, the school its self gave her an option to avoid getting herself into a situation like this, by sharing their morals, standards and expectations of each of their employees.

It was this woman's choice to get caught up in the heat of the moment and to engage in unprotected sex. Her choice to exercise her rights with her own body and to exercise her right to participate in an overrated 'two consenting adults' interaction.

Okay... so folks make mistakes. We all get that, for each of us sin and we each fall short of the glory of God. However, God's Word says that He chastises those whom He loves. When my parents warned me not to play with matches, they meant no harm, only good. Yet when I 'chose' to challenge their warnings, I received a huge consequence on my 'bottom' by my mother. I was spanked for being disobedient. I knew better, yet I rebelled and disobeyed.

This woman is really reaching. This comment of hers is really out of order...

"We all have different views and interpretations. It's not necessarily the Christian thing to do to throw somebody aside because of those."

What she's saying is that this School has to think 'her' way and only her way. She's saying that this School has to drop the morals of God's order and God's standards and appease her choice of sin.

This school is not being cruel, neither to her nor her baby. She has options and one of them should most definitely be 'THE FATHER' of her baby. The man that she slept with.

Where is he? Sue him, instead if he's an unsupportive sperm donor.

People are just so quick to try and make a mockery out of living right for God. Leave the Churches and Christian Schools alone. If folks want to live in a lifestyle differently than do so and leave the Church and Christian Schools alone. This is nothing short of the enemy's plan to take away the rights of Ministries who strive to live a life of order... God's order.

She needs to sue her Baby Daddy...
 
Ugh I am just soooo angry when I hear these things. I just want to scream. Losing your job because you got pregnant really sucks. BUUUUT she doesn't have a case since she signed an agreement. So she is kinda up a creek without a paddle. She can't argue her beliefs against a signed agreement. A "Morality Clause" has so much berth. You can call anything "immoral" these days.... You don't need scripture quotes and a reminder of the commandments to see she is out of gas....
It just really really sucks.

Hmmmm....too bad they didn't fire those priests back in the day when they were molesting those kids....Surely this too is immoral......even back then they were still firing women who got pregnant out of wedlock...that's nothing new....They were able to keep their jobs without worry. I guess they are not going to sweep her under a rug like they did those priests....JMHO.
 
I don't like her "they violated me attititude"...............what about how she violated them?? I mean when are people going to take responsibility for their actions and see their own faults? I really hope she doesn't win this case and I hate to say that since she's expecting a baby but she should have used her brain!
 
Churches and their schools have a different standard from the rest of the world... I've heard of single folks working at a church losing their jobs having premarital sex with each other. People do LOSE their jobs over fraternizing..some secular organizations have "no fraternization" policies. So, why go hard on the school? Morality aside, she violated a CONTRACT with the school. If a contractor has a Standard of Work signed, they agree to adhere to the terms or they lose work. If we borrow from the bank and fail to pay, there are repercussions. We all make mistakes.. but there are consequences that come with them, even when we are forgiven. Christians of all people should know that.


I'm wondering it the school also had alternative repurcussions in the contract, like demotion or suspension... and she's angry because they choose to release her instead? Because I can't understand her anger otherwise....


Shimmie said:
People are just so quick to try and make a mockery out of living right for God. Leave the Churches and Christian Schools alone. If folks want to live in a lifestyle differently than do so and leave the Church and Christian Schools alone. This is nothing short of the enemy's plan to take away the rights of Ministries who strive to live a life of order... God's order.

She needs to sue her Baby Daddy...
Click to expand...
 
The Supreme court says that teachers at religious schools are ministers. Since that is the case she is going to lose very quickly in court. She should focus on siging up for emergency medicaid and looking for a new job.
 
Laela said:
Churches and their schools have a different standard from the rest of the world... I've heard of single folks working at a church losing their jobs having premarital sex with each other. People do LOSE their jobs over fraternizing..some secular organizations have "no fraternization" policies. So, why go hard on the school? Morality aside, she violated a CONTRACT with the school. If a contractor has a Standard of Work signed, they agree to adhere to the terms or they lose work. If we borrow from the bank and fail to pay, there are repercussions. We all make mistakes.. but there are consequences that come with them, even when we are forgiven. Christians of all people should know that.


I'm wondering it the school also had alternative repurcussions in the contract, like demotion or suspension... and she's angry because they choose to release her instead? Because I can't understand her anger otherwise....
Click to expand...

:yep::yep::yep: I agree.

Her anger is misappropriated. Again I have to ask: Where's the Father of her baby? Why hasn't he stepped up to the plate, for he sure indeed ate what she was serving him from it. Homeboy needs to be a man and take care of his child and the mother.

She should have made 'him' sign a contract before becoming sexually active with him.

She needs to have a strict motto:

No wed, No bed.... No contract, No contact... Fool you done heard what I said. :look:
 
Crackers Phinn

@[URL="http://www.longhaircareforum.com/member.php?u=8092" said:
Crackers Phinn[/URL];15701637]But what about her unborn child?
Click to expand...


This responsibility cannot be shifted to the school.

Her unborn child is first and foremost her and the fathers responsibility.

It may seem crass (because often times people expect the church to embrace everything but not to judge good and bad-accepting Gods favor but not his wrath) but this happens everyday in the real world. Folks with families and bills are fired due to their own mistakes and it is not the jobs responsibility to try to figure out how they are gonna make ends meet. And in the US its not like shes kicked out on the streets with nowhere to turn. she will get uneployment, have access to Cobra, medicaid and WIC, and probebly many Christian based resources for pregnant women in her area etc.

This reminds me of Eli and his sons. God struck them dead and punished Eli and all of his descendants for allowing them to sin in his temple (they took advantage of their position as priests, dishonored Gods sacrifices, and had sex with women in the temple). God punished the sons for doing the actual sin, and Eli for not sitting them down when he was made aware of their sins. When you have been given charge over someone God will hold you respsonsible for what you allow them to be exposed to. You may not be able to protect them from every evil influence but you must not invite sin in. The schools responsibility is to God first, then the children that are placed in their care.
 
naturalgyrl5199 said:
Hmmmm....too bad they didn't fire those priests back in the day when they were molesting those kids....Surely this too is immoral......even back then they were still firing women who got pregnant out of wedlock...that's nothing new....They were able to keep their jobs without worry. I guess they are not going to sweep her under a rug like they did those priests....JMHO.
Click to expand...

Was this the same Ministry who allowed those priests to 'slide' without reprimand and penalty? I totally agree that was a grave injustice, those priests should be under the jail, not in it. No one has a right to molest a child and they deserve the most severe of punishments.

However, was it this very same Ministry who allowed that to occur? Is this specific Ministry practicing an immoral double standard?

This woman is out of order with her demands and lawsuit. If Ministries begin to succomb to the pressures of yielding to the whims and demands of those who are opposed, then how do we represent the Kingdom of God?

This woman is using manipulation to gain sympathy by falsely representing the school as callous, uncaring and adding a burning cross to the media's perspective and image of Christianity.

Let's see what 'Oprah' does / has to say about this ... :rolleyes:


Note: I hope my post doesn't 'sound' harsh or that it's directed towards you personally. I promise you that it's not. :Rose:
 
Last edited:
CoilyFields said:
Crackers Phinn




This responsibility cannot be shifted to the school.

Her unborn child is first and foremost her and the fathers responsibility.

It may seem crass (because often times people expect the church to embrace everything but not to judge good and bad-accepting Gods favor but not his wrath) but this happens everyday in the real world. Folks with families and bills are fired due to their own mistakes and it is not the jobs responsibility to try to figure out how they are gonna make ends meet. And in the US its not like shes kicked out on the streets with nowhere to turn. she will get uneployment, have access to Cobra, medicaid and WIC, and probebly many Christian based resources for pregnant women in her area etc.

This reminds me of Eli and his sons. God struck them dead and punished Eli and all of his descendants for allowing them to sin in his temple (they took advantage of their position as priests, dishonored Gods sacrifices, and had sex with women in the temple). God punished the sons for doing the actual sin, and Eli for not sitting them down when he was made aware of their sins. When you have been given charge over someone God will hold you respsonsible for what you allow them to be exposed to. You may not be able to protect them from every evil influence but you must not invite sin in. The schools responsibility is to God first, then the children that are placed in their care.
Click to expand...

Thank you... Coily :yep:

God has instructed us clearly,

Isaiah 54:13

Your children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be their peace.

Proverbs 22:6:

Train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old, he shall not depart from it.


Deuteronomy 11:18-19

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.

Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Our children are to be raised in the fear of the Lord... Case Closed.
 
I agree with the school, because it is a christian school. Parents send their children to Christian schools so that morals can be instilled in them.

Somebody needs to stand up and say something !

SLIGhTLY OFF TOPIC: have you all noticed how many student teacher sexual relationship news stories are reported weekly? This stuff is out of hand. When I was in school, we never heard of such.
 
I agree, though against my own liking, she is doomed by the fine print. Though I never post here, I can't resit asking does that mean they will not hire women who have child/children out of wedlock?

Thankfully I work at a public school!
 
Blairx0 said:
I agree, though against my own liking, she is doomed by the fine print. Though I never post here, I can't resit asking does that mean they will not hire women who have child/children out of wedlock?

Thankfully I work at a public school!
Click to expand...

I, of course, dont know the answer...but since this teacher signed a contract i assume that they discussed the schools expectations and whether or not she could adhere to those standards. I would like to think that past sins/mistakes are not held against potential employees as long as they agree to the contract (which would probebly mean the employee has repented for that sin and has no intention of having more oow kids).
 
Seems they would treat all evidence of sexual-type sin equally, but I guess there is just no way to know. Sigh.
 
Shimmie said:
Was this the same Ministry who allowed those priests to 'slide' without reprimand and penalty? I totally agree that was a grave injustice, those priests should be under the jail, not in it. No one has a right to molest a child and they deserve the most severe of punishments.

However, was it this very same Ministry who allowed that to occur? Is this specific Ministry practicing an immoral double standard?

This woman is out of order with her demands and lawsuit. If Ministries begin to succomb to the pressures of yielding to the whims and demands of those who are opposed, then how do we represent the Kingdom of God?

This woman is using manipulation to gain sympathy by falsely representing the school as callous, uncaring and adding a burning cross to the media's perspective and image of Christianity.

Let's see what 'Oprah' does / has to say about this ... :rolleyes:

Note: I hope my post doesn't 'sound' harsh or that it's directed towards you personally. I promise you that it's not. :Rose:
Click to expand...

Shimmie, nope! I know your passion. We're good:)

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF
 
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