Christian school assistant's shock at dismissal for LGBT posts

A Christian school assistant has told a tribunal she was "shocked" to be sacked for posting her concerns on Facebook about LGBT relationship lessons.

Kristie Higgs, 44, was dismissed for gross misconduct by Farmor's School in Fairford, Gloucestershire, last year.

Ms Higgs posted concerns that pupils at her son's school would be taught the No Outsiders in Our School programme - books on teaching the Equality Act.

Ms Higgs' case is being supported by the Christian Legal Centre.

She shared two posts on Facebook, under her maiden name in October 2018 to about 100 of her friends, the tribunal heard.

And in one Facebook post, she urged people to sign an online petition against making relationships education mandatory, the hearing was told.

Ms Higgs, from Fairford, said: "As a Christian, I believe it is morally necessary to speak out in defence of the Bible truth when false and harmful doctrines are being promoted."

The secondary school she worked at received an anonymous complaint and she was suspended and then later dismissed for gross misconduct following a disciplinary hearing.

The employment tribunal heard she was shocked to be suspended by the academy and she said she was "still shaking when she got home".

"I rang my dad and then rang my husband. Both of them were in shock. My boys were also in shock to know I was not going back to work," she said.

Ms Higgs explained her religious beliefs in her statement and said she believed that "God created mankind as 'male and female' and what He has created is good".

She added: "He does not make mistakes.

"I am aware that same-sex marriages are now recognised under UK law, but I believe that is contrary to God's law - which only recognises marriages between one man and one woman," she said in her statement.

Ms Higgs' case is expected to last five days at the employment tribunal, being held in Bristol.