Florida School Fires Fourth-Grade Teacher for 'Fornication'
Fourth-grade teacher Jarretta Hamilton found herself jobless after requesting maternity leave, reports AOL News. Hamilton admitted to school authorities that she conceived before her April marriage. In a letter explaining her termination from Southland Christian School in St. Cloud, it states that she was not fired because of her pregnancy, but because of “fornication, sex outside of marriage.” They felt that Hamilton had violated the school’s values, which all teachers hired at Southland Christian must agree to uphold.
Hamilton is suing the school for marital status discrimination, and for invasion of privacy after school authorities informed parents about the details of the case. “They admitted that if she had conceived during the marriage she would’ve remained in employment,” said Hamilton’s attorney, Ed Gays. School Principal Jon Ennis declined to comment, but the letter further stated that “We request that Jarretta withdraw her case and consider the testimony of the Lord.” Apparently, Hamilton’s current marriage status had no bearing on their condemnation of the teacher.