Christian school worker loses tribunal over LGBT Facebook posts sacking

A Christian school worker dismissed for comments criticising LGBT lessons was not sacked unlawfully, an employment tribunal has ruled.

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

The tribunal agreed with the school that two Facebook posts shared by Ms Higgs could have been seen as homophobic and transphobic.

Her dismissal was not related to her Christian beliefs, it ruled.

Ms Higgs had claimed her sacking had breached her freedom of speech and religion.

The Facebook posts raised concerns about relationship education at her son's Church of England primary school, the panel heard.

Posting under her maiden name in October 2018, Ms Higgs shared and commented on the material to about 100 friends.

In one, she shared an article about the alleged rise of transgender ideology in children's books in American schools.

One post referred to "brainwashing" children and said they would "be taught that all relationships are equally valid and 'normal'".

An anonymous complaint was made to the school, and Ms Higgs was suspended and later dismissed following a disciplinary hearing.

During the hearing, school governor Stephen Conlan said she was sacked because of the language used in the posts.

He told the tribunal: "We were not concerned with Mrs Higgs's religious beliefs. We were concerned with the manner in which those beliefs were expressed."

Employment judge Derek Reed ruled the dismissal "was the result of a genuine belief on the part of the school that she had committed gross misconduct".

"We concluded that, not only the dismissal, but the entire proceedings taken against Ms Higgs were motivated by a concern on the part of the school that, by reason of her posts, she would be perceived as holding unacceptable views in relation to gay and trans people - views which in fact she vehemently denied that she did hold.

"That behaviour, the school felt, had the potential for a negative impact in relation to various groups of people, namely pupils, parents, staff and the wider community."

Ms Higgs said she was "disappointed" with the judgment and planned to appeal.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which supported Ms Higgs at the tribunal, said the judgment "should concern all of us who care about the freedom to be a Christian believer in the UK".