Quote:Shortly after Jarretta Hamilton was married last year, she and her husband learned they were expecting a baby, according to a newly-filed lawsuit.
In April 2009, the fourth-grade teacher approached administrators at Southland Christian School in St. Cloud to inquire about taking maternity leave the following fall.
"That's when the question was posed to her, 'Did you conceive prior to marriage?'" said Hamilton's attorney, Edward R. Gay.
According to the lawsuit, the teacher told her bosses the truth: the baby was conceived about three weeks before the couple's wedding, thereby acknowledging to having premarital sex.
One week later, school officials abruptly fired Hamilton and would not let her finish out the semester.
"It certainly devastated her," said Gay.
The attorney later received a letter from the school explaining the reason for the teacher's termination.

"Jarretta was asked not to return because of a moral issue that was disregarded, namely fornication -- sex outside of marriage," states Southland Christian School administrator Julie Ennis. "Wee request that Jarretta withdraw her complaint and consider the testimony of the Lord."
School officials deny that Hamilton's pregnancy was at issue. Other teachers at the school are pregnant, they said, but "these teachers are married."
Several parents at Southland Christian School support the school's decision to uphold Christian values.
"That's the basis of the school. Wee have certain morals wee believe in," said Scott Bickel, who's two children attend the school.
According to the letter, Hamilton was informed of the school's "standards, values, and purposes" when she filled out her employment application.
Hamilton's attorney does not believe any morality clause in a teacher's contract can override state and federal discrimination laws.
"Her performance was outstanding," said the attorney. "Even when she was being terminated the administrator states she was an outstanding teacher."
Hamilton is suing the school for violating a federal pregnancy discrimination law and a state law prohibiting discrimination based on marital status.
Hamilton also accuses school officials of violating her privacy by disclosing the reason for her termination to parents and students.

http://www.clickorlando.com/education/23...etail.html

What do you guys think?

I believe the school WOULD HAVE BEEN completely in the right, up to the point where they decided to give out the information publicly. If she took the job with the forewarning that she was to abide by Christian standards (depending on how specific they are), then I really don't see the problem. If she could see herself disagreeing over a specific Christian view that might become relevant in her teaching career, she should have chosen another school to work at. By no means am I evaluating the correctness of the school's moral viewpoint, but I do back up their original choice to let her go.

But seriously, why the hell would any school board think that releasing such private information to the school's students and parents would be a good idea??? If they'd just left it alone, and pointed to where she was considered "out of line", then I'd understand their point completely. But that one "misstep" is what I disagree with. Obviously this school board needs to be fired because they were all high as hell when they thought up that conclusion.