A teacher at a government-funded pre-apprenticeship academy in Bristol, England, has been given the pink slip for telling a lesbian student “God loves you.”
According to LifeSiteNews, Svetlana Powell, an educator with 17 years experience, was labeled a “radicalisation threat” when she answered students’ questions regarding her Christian beliefs. The Bristol Employment Tribunal reports that Svetlana shared her Christian views on homosexuality when students inquired during a class discussion.
Svetlana’s statements were entirely charitable and in line with Christian principles, saying that she believed homosexual activity was against God’s will while acknowledging that He loves everyone, regardless of what they do. When a student announced her identification as a lesbian, Svetlana turned to her and said: “God loves you.” For that, Svetlana was guilty of “gross misconduct.”
When several students complained to the school of being “brainwashed and preached to,” the Academy’s Chief Safeguarding Officer, Sian Prigg, contacted the local coordinator for Prevent — the government’s ‘counter-terrorism’ strategy group — to report the incident.
The next day, Svetlana sat through a disciplinary hearing where administrators interrogated her about the incident. One hour later, administrators terminated her contract without the possibility of appeal.
Mrs. Powell, supported by Christian Legal Centre (CLC), has sued the Marr Corporation and the Bristol Employment Tribunal for loss of earnings, arguing that the school discriminated against her religious beliefs
CLC lawyer, Pavel Stroilov, said the school’s treatment of Svetlana stood “in stark contrast” to dealing with students’ complaints against an “outspoken left-wing atheist,” teacher Andrew Spargo. According to an email obtained by Stroliov, students complained that Mr. Spargo spent most of his time in class “preaching to them on the daily basis about how terrible England is and how many innocent people the government has killed, as well as why Jesus never existed”.
“On one occasion, Mr. Spargo allegedly shocked the students by showing them a sketch of a naked woman with her legs open and vagina showing,” reports LifeSite. “On another, he allegedly twice told a student to ‘get the f*** out of my classroom.'”
“The school dealt with that situation pastorally,” Mr Stroilov said in his submission to the tribunal. “Mr Spargo was only told off, and had his probation period extended for three months. He continues to teach at the Academy, and for all we know, carries on with anti-Christian and anti-British indoctrination of students. By contrast, Mrs Powell was dismissed on the spot for much milder comments. In my submission, we have proven today that this was because her views are Christian.”