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Christian school worker fights dismissal over LGBT+ comments

by Lydia Davies
Screenshot 2024-09-30 152757.png - Banner image

Kristie Higgs, a 47-year-old school worker, will have her case heard by senior judges at the Royal Courts of Justice on Wednesday 2nd October, following her dismissal from Farmor's School in Fairford, Gloucestershire, in 2019.

She claims her termination was a result of her Christian beliefs.

According to the BBC, Higgs was let go for gross misconduct after sharing Facebook posts that criticised plans to teach LGBT+ relationships in primary education.

She expressed concerns regarding the No Outsiders In Our School programme, which aims to teach the Equality Act through a series of books.

Posting under her maiden name, Higgs shared two posts with about 100 friends in October 2018, one of which referred to the initiative as “brainwashing our children.”

An anonymous complaint led to her suspension, and a disciplinary hearing ultimately resulted in her dismissal.

Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, Higgs argued at an employment tribunal that she faced unlawful discrimination due to her Christian beliefs.

The school maintained that her dismissal was based on the language used in her posts, rather than her religious views.

In a 2020 ruling, the tribunal acknowledged that Higgs's religion is a "protected characteristic" under the Equality Act. However, it upheld the school's decision, stating her posts could be perceived as homophobic and transphobic. 

School governor Stephen Conlan testified that the concern was not Higgs's religious beliefs but rather how she expressed them.

After the Employment Appeal Tribunal ruled in her favor and sent the case back for a new determination, Higgs's legal team secured the right for her case to be heard by Court of Appeal judges.

The court has allowed several organizations, including the Association of Christian Teachers, Free Speech Union, Sex Matters, the Church of England Archbishops' Council, and the Commission for Equality and Human Rights, to intervene in the case.

Ahead of the hearing, Higgs expressed her hope for a ruling that would enable individuals to voice their beliefs without fear of retribution.

Higgs told the news outelt: “I wouldn't want any parent to go through what I have over the past five years. Nobody should be sacked for raising concerns as I did.

“I pray the Court of Appeal will make the right judgment to protect Christian employees and parents' freedom to express their beliefs.”

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