Posted on 04/11/2012 9:44:41 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd
ROCKWALL — Cathy Samford, a volleyball coach and science teacher, was fired from Heritage Christian Academy for getting pregnant and not being married, the school acknowledged.
"I looked it up and thought, 'They can't do this,'" said Samford, 29.
For almost three years, she coached volleyball at the private school. Samford was named "Coach of the Year" and recently began teaching science.
But when she got pregnant last fall, the school fired her because she was not married.
"We all have different views and interpretations," Samford said. "It's not necessarily the Christian thing to do to throw somebody aside because of those."
"You can't discriminate against someone who's pregnant or has a pregnancy-related medical condition," said Colin Walsh, her attorney. "That is both state and federal law."
But Heritage Christian said this case is not so simple.
"I understand some people that would say 'It's a heartless thing to do,'" said the school's headmaster, Dr. Ron Taylor. "It wasn't easy to do."
Taylor acknowledged that Samford could not get fired for an out-of-wedlock pregnancy in a public school. But HCA is a private, religious campus, and Taylor said the school considers teachers to be ministers, since they're allowed to share their beliefs 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," Taylor added.
Taylor said Samford violated the morals clause in her contract and was not a "Christian role model" to her students.
"How's it going to look to a little fourth grade girl that sees she's pregnant and she's not married?" Taylor asked.
Mediation did not result in a resolution between the two parties. The school said it also refused to settle the case.
Taylor said HCA was contacted by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regarding the firing.
Samford and Walsh said they're now considering legal action. The fired teacher and expectant mother said she did nothing wrong, and faces financial problems now, including giving birth without insurance.
So the hypocrites have no problem hiring/employing a divorced woman? And they have no problem hiring/employing an unwed mother (divorced with kids)? The school loses all credibility there.
Their explanation, as presented in that article, sure does seem shaky to me.
In any event she seems to have a strong legal case if the information presented is accurate. (the vagueness of the term “Christian Role Model” in the contract)
Iran has not perfected biblical morality. It's a lie. There is little justification for your reductio.
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Romans 6:1-2)
"What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servant to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness." (Romans 6:15-16)
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23)
Those of us who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ have the new man, the quickened spirit within a sinful body of death. We should walk in the spirit, not feed the flesh. We do sin, but whom God loves he chastises. We should learn from his correction. I do not know if this woman is a Christian. Getting fired may be such a chastisement. (But from the article she seems unrepentent.)
“I’m not saying this was an easy situation for the school to handle. I just think I would have handled it differently.”
I agree it is more complex than saying “throw out the sinner!” A problem is the Gospel is not clearly taught in our churches. The liberal churches teach antinomianism (no law) but the conservative churches maybe teach the Gospel until you are “saved” but from that point it is about following Jesus as your example, keeping up appearances, legalism without much forgiveness and looking to make “examples” of sinners worse than you. At best some churches teach a sort of social moralism but the Gospel gets left out.
Have you not read the Holy Scriptures? Our Lord Jesus never approved of sin? Yes, he did forgive broken hearted repentant sinners!
Her statements make it clear that she attempts to justify her sins!
Jesus taught: “Ye shall die in your sins.”
“He[God]made Him[Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
You mean a Catholic school? Not MY son........
Samford, who has two children from a previous marriage, maintains that she did not violate her contract in any way and that the contract’s clauses about being a “Christian role model” are vague.
No, I can’t watch videos. But if she has different “standards,” then her standards are not good enough for a christian school. I am glad she is not having an abortion.
If her fiance is the baby’s father then they should be married immediately. I think it would help her suit.
Thanks for pointing this out.
You obviously know nothing about your Bible. This woman's example of becoming pregnant out of wedlock, if not dealt with appropriately by the school administration, could lead young girls into believing that such behavior is acceptable for a Christian, causing them to sin. Do you want to know what Jesus said about those who would lead children into sin?
"But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea."
Matt. 18:6
DYING LAUGHING over here!
Ah, post 97 claims she is engaged. Good for the happy couple. I guess shotgun weddings are out of fashion these days.
It is only hypocritical if the church teaches that such things are sin. Aside from the Catholic Church, I don't know of many that place being divorced on the same level as sex outside of wedlock...
Actually, probably not. In a case like this, it is the church (employer) who gets to define the term, not the employee. As long as the school can show that the Bible teaches against such behavior (which it does), then they can support the firing.
It’s not about her, it’s about what’s best for the students...period!
The Bible also teaches against divorce yet they hired her anyway. From a legal standpoint even terms based on Bible teachings must be spelled out to avoid any confusion.
She is likely to prevail.
Right, because its up to men and organizations to determine which sins are worse than others, and what the scale is in general. This school had no problem hiring a divorced, single mother. They had no problem with her being a role model knowing that situation. But when she got pregnant, then there was a problem. It shows them to be hypocrites.
Maybe, but perhaps having a fiance in the wings was good enough for them to overlook the previous divorce, which was before her employment here, and events that normally would not be known to children/students and thus, affect them. But then she pulled another boner, one that is too difficult to hide.
This school had no problem hiring a divorced, single mother. They had no problem with her being a role model knowing that situation. But when she got pregnant, then there was a problem. It shows them to be hypocrites.
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Maybe they were cutting her a break and following the Bible and showing her mercy when they hired her. Only to regret it when she later ended up preggers.
Who knows?
She has different standards? Exactly the reason they don’t want you as a teacher, lady!!
Let’s say there is a non-Catholic guy who teaches at a Catholic school. He tells his classes he thinks the church’s stand on abortion is wrong. Good plan, bad plan?
Let’s say you work for a company that requires its employees that meet the public to wear a suit. One guy doesn’t agree and decides to ignore this rule. Good plan, bad plan?
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