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boston bean

(36,222 posts)
Thu Apr 12, 2012, 06:22 AM Apr 2012

Rockwall teacher fired for out-of-wedlock pregnancy

As first reported by Dallas Fort Worth network WFAA, Rockwall (Texas) Heritage Christian Academy volleyball coach and science teacher Cathy Samford was fired during the fall semester after she became pregnant out of wedlock. Samford had led the volleyball program for three years and had been named the school's coach of the year once during that span.

Still, that couldn't help save her job when she first admitted her pregnancy during the fall semester, with the school terminating her based on a violation of her contract's morals clause because it was determined her pregnancy meant she could not serve as "a Christian role model."

"I looked it up and thought, 'They can't do this,'" the 29-year-old Samford told WFAA. "We all have different views and interpretations. It's not necessarily the Christian thing to do to throw somebody aside because of those."

While Samford and her lawyer, Colin Walsh, are working toward filing a discrimination suit against the school, their case may be complicated by the fact that Heritage Christian Academy is a private school, and recent Supreme Court decisions have defended the right of Christian schools to exert more influence on their hirings and firings because they consider teachers to be "ministers in the classroom."


http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/highschool-prep-rally/former-coach-fired-christian-school-wedlock-pregnancy-145601399.html
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Rockwall teacher fired for out-of-wedlock pregnancy (Original Post) boston bean Apr 2012 OP
so if she would have had an abortion that would have been alright? ejpoeta Apr 2012 #1
I was thinking along the same lines woodsprite Apr 2012 #2
This message was self-deleted by its author leftyohiolib Apr 2012 #3
Post removed Post removed Apr 2012 #4
not justified. Also, you are posting in a safe haven group. boston bean Apr 2012 #5
thank you (edited) iverglas Apr 2012 #6
Actually, it is in discussion in MIRT boston bean Apr 2012 #7
you blocked the MIRt forum? maddezmom Apr 2012 #10
she blocked the poster in THIS group (HoF) seabeyond Apr 2012 #11
okay. I got here from a post in the MIrt...but I still think she should comment there maddezmom Apr 2012 #12
BB will probably appreciate knowing that it is ok. nt seabeyond Apr 2012 #13
I wasn't trying to give permission if that is what you mean maddezmom Apr 2012 #14
i didnt think you were giving her permission. i thought you were giving her information. seabeyond Apr 2012 #15
And, their first post on DU.... Momentous... hlthe2b Apr 2012 #8
Thanks to our hosts for prompt action here. BlueIris Apr 2012 #20
Volleyball coach and science teacher? Warren DeMontague Apr 2012 #9
I had an employer once who wanted me to sign a contract stating that I wouldn't get pregnant. PassingFair Apr 2012 #16
Um, holy shit. BlueIris Apr 2012 #17
And the employer was a "she".... PassingFair Apr 2012 #18
Ew, just ew. BlueIris Apr 2012 #19
It's weird, isn't it? Warren DeMontague Apr 2012 #21

ejpoeta

(8,933 posts)
1. so if she would have had an abortion that would have been alright?
Thu Apr 12, 2012, 06:46 AM
Apr 2012

they don't want any pregnancies 'out of wedlock', but she is having the baby so.... I don't think they should be able to fire you for getting pregnant out of wedlock, but this is a religious school... I guess they can do what they want?!?

woodsprite

(11,916 posts)
2. I was thinking along the same lines
Thu Apr 12, 2012, 07:05 AM
Apr 2012

So if she had been raped and the pregnancy
was a result of that rape, AND she looked on it
as a blessing, then she would be doing the right
thing by carrying to term out of wedlock?

Or would they still say she didn't meet their moral
standard?

Response to boston bean (Original post)

Response to boston bean (Original post)

 

iverglas

(38,549 posts)
6. thank you (edited)
Thu Apr 12, 2012, 01:23 PM
Apr 2012

Perhaps, as host, you would put a request to MIRT for consideration of the situation.

edit - oops, it's going there as I posted.



In our new friend's ideal world, everybody is free to look for other work if they don't like being paid $1 an hour to work with toxic chemicals without protective gear, or if their employer decides that employees of colour, or Jews, or women, should be paid less than other employees.

There are names for people who support that kind of "freedom", i.e. absolute freedom of those with economic power to determine the standard of living that others will enjoy. And those names don't include Democrat, or progressive ... (They do include "liberal" as the world outside the US understands that word. )

In this case, we are seeing "unintended consequences", that we might suspect are not unintended at all -- the consequences of privatizing an important public function/interest like the education of children.

Actual education becomes secondary to other considerations, in ways that are not in the interests of the children or of society as a whole, and obviously of employees. The more situations like this are allowed to spread, the less "free" an employee will be to find other employment, as the field of other employment shrinks. That, on top of things like the harm done to the quality of education in the public system, as the private sector reduces the public system's ability to serve special needs students, for instance, by reducing its funding base. Not to mention the plain ignorant graduates the religious sector produces, hardly the outcome a modern society should be looking for.

boston bean

(36,222 posts)
7. Actually, it is in discussion in MIRT
Thu Apr 12, 2012, 01:26 PM
Apr 2012

But they are not sure and are watching.

I hit a TOS alert, and realized they were already discussion prior to an alert being sent.

they now have a hidden post, so they might decide to PPR.

I am on MIRT, but since I blocked in the group, I didn't feel right about PPRing myself.

maddezmom

(135,060 posts)
10. you blocked the MIRt forum?
Thu Apr 12, 2012, 10:24 PM
Apr 2012

why don't you come in and make your opinion known? Why sign up if you're not going to participate?

 

seabeyond

(110,159 posts)
11. she blocked the poster in THIS group (HoF)
Thu Apr 12, 2012, 10:28 PM
Apr 2012

so she doesnt feel she should discuss this issue in MIRT

is how i interpreted it.

maddezmom

(135,060 posts)
12. okay. I got here from a post in the MIrt...but I still think she should comment there
Thu Apr 12, 2012, 10:31 PM
Apr 2012

especially if she blocked him from this group. Anyway thank for the info, backing out of this group.

maddezmom

(135,060 posts)
14. I wasn't trying to give permission if that is what you mean
Thu Apr 12, 2012, 10:50 PM
Apr 2012

was just trying to figure out the situation. Won't make the mistake again.

 

seabeyond

(110,159 posts)
15. i didnt think you were giving her permission. i thought you were giving her information.
Thu Apr 12, 2012, 11:20 PM
Apr 2012

i thought it was helpful.

Warren DeMontague

(80,708 posts)
9. Volleyball coach and science teacher?
Thu Apr 12, 2012, 03:40 PM
Apr 2012

Why do I get the feeling that, in addition to being moralizing religious right turds, the proprietors of this institution don't put a very high value on science?

PassingFair

(22,434 posts)
16. I had an employer once who wanted me to sign a contract stating that I wouldn't get pregnant.
Fri Apr 13, 2012, 12:10 AM
Apr 2012

It was a sales job....I told her to shove it.

So it's OK for a church to mandate that their employees can't have sex.

Cause that's the land of the free and the brave.

PassingFair

(22,434 posts)
18. And the employer was a "she"....
Fri Apr 13, 2012, 12:19 AM
Apr 2012

controlling asshat.

I had to get a lawyer to get unentangled with her.

She didn't want anything to interfere with her "plans".

Warren DeMontague

(80,708 posts)
21. It's weird, isn't it?
Fri Apr 20, 2012, 05:45 PM
Apr 2012

I have enough on my plate just running my own life... Where do these controlling asshats find the time to run other people's?

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