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Judge: Firing teacher who called homosexuality a sin reflects ‘modern British values of tolerance’
LifeSite ^ | 4/26/2013 | Hilary White

Posted on 04/26/2013 6:24:07 PM PDT by markomalley

In 2010, high school science teacher Robert Haye was dismissed from his position at Deptford Green School after he responded to questions from high school students aged 15-16 by saying that homosexual activity is a “sin."

Teaching authorities subsequently banned him “indefinitely” from teaching at any high school in the country, a ban that was later endorsed by Education Secretary Michael Gove.

A London High Court rejected Haye’s appeal, saying that his comments were “inappropriate” and that he was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct, the campaign group Christian Concern reported, noting that this is the first case of its kind.

Haye, a Seventh Day Adventist, also reportedly told students that it those Christians who worship on Sundays are “basically worshipping the devil."

Haye cannot apply to return to the classroom for two years.

In his judgment, Mr. Justice King said that teachers must present positive information on homosexuality “to enable students to challenge derogatory stereotypes and prejudice,” and that this policy reflected “modern British values of tolerance." He said Haye’s appeal was “misconceived and must fail."

Robert Ogilvy, Haye’s representative in court, said that the ban is “fundamentally unreasonable, unfair and disproportionate” and violated his client’s freedom of speech and religion.

The judge disagreed, saying, “This case is not about the right of a teacher to hold sincerely held beliefs based on the Bible in relation to homosexuality or attendance at church on Sundays. It has been about how those beliefs and views are manifested in the context of teaching in schools with young people with diverse sexuality, backgrounds, and beliefs.”

Haye said in a statement that the ruling was likely to end his teaching career, but that he would not recant his beliefs.

“God comes first,” he said. “Christians are now being persecuted in this country for believing in the Bible.”

“We have a right to believe and express what we believe, but people are now afraid of being punished for not being politically correct,” Haye said. “This country is a free and democratic society – but is it? Is it really?”

The Church of England and the Catholic Church, as well as other religious groups, lawyers and some parliamentarians have repeatedly warned the government that the civil rights of both clergy and believing laity who have religious or moral objections to homosexual activity are under threat from the government’s proposed “gay marriage” legislation.

Dozens of stories continue to emerge each year of British Christians being sacked and disciplined at work, sued in civil courts and even arrested for publicly objecting to homosexuality.

Speaking to Haye’s case, Andrea Williams, CEO of Christian Concern, said it is only one, with more to come should the government pass the bill into law.

“This case shows that even before any change in the law on marriage, people with strong beliefs on sexual ethics are being squeezed out of their jobs.”

“There is a deep irony that, in the name of ‘tolerance,’ people are being forced into accepting a set of values to which they have not subscribed,” he said. “The courts are actually propagating a growing intolerance and are failing to protect people’s freedom of expression."

A new ComRes poll released in February found that one in 10 teachers would refuse to cover same-sex “marriages” in their lessons, while one in six said they “wouldn’t be happy about it."

Campaign Director for the Coalition for Marriage, Colin Hart, responded to the findings, saying, “Tens of thousands of teachers face the real prospect of being disciplined, or sacked, over the government’s proposals to redefine marriage, creating a poisonous atmosphere in every staffroom in every school.

He pointed out that the “safeguards” in the government’s “gay marriage” bill – that they have called a “quadruple lock” – are all directed to clergy of the Church of England, that there is no wording included in the legislation that would protect lay people working in the public sector from legal action.

Michael Gove has reportedly agreed that teachers’ freedom of speech and religion will be curtailed by the bill. President of Gove’s Surrey Heath Conservative Association, Geoffrey Vero, told Radio 5 Live that Gove is “concerned” about the possible consequences.

“I think it has consequences for teachers, I think it has consequences for parents and children, and although Michael says in the Mail Friday that he has total confidence in the legislation, well that’s not what he told me only a week ago when I met him in Parliament,” Vero said. Even the “quadruple lock” that covers only Church of England clergy, is suspect, Vero said: “We don’t have total confidence that that is going to stand the test of time.”

Brendan O’Neill, editor of online libertarian magazine Spiked, has expressed his shock at how quickly the public “space” for disagreement with “gay marriage” has shrunk.

In his April 17th editorial, “Gay marriage: a case study in conformism,” O’Neill wrote, “I have been doing or writing about political stuff for 20 years, since I was 18 years old, during which time I have got behind some pretty unpopular campaigns and kicked against some stifling consensuses. But I have never encountered an issue like gay marriage, an issue in which the space for dissent has shrunk so rapidly, and in which the consensus is not only stifling but choking.”

He described being booed and receiving death threats after he criticised the proposal “from a liberal secular perspective."


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: homosexualagenda; unitedkingdom
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1 posted on 04/26/2013 6:24:07 PM PDT by markomalley
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To: markomalley

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness


2 posted on 04/26/2013 6:29:02 PM PDT by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)
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To: markomalley
Yep, they sure tolerated that teacher. /sarc
3 posted on 04/26/2013 6:31:58 PM PDT by Idaho_Cowboy (Ride for the Brand. Joshua 24:15)
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To: markomalley

Christians survive. We just go underground. I applaud this man for not recanting his beliefs. My prayers go out to him.


4 posted on 04/26/2013 6:32:28 PM PDT by Viennacon
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To: markomalley

This kind of thing is already here. I


5 posted on 04/26/2013 6:37:36 PM PDT by Maelstorm (This country wasn't founded with the battle cry "Give me liberty or give me a govt check!")
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To: markomalley

Homosexuality is gender segregation in the bedroom.


6 posted on 04/26/2013 6:39:45 PM PDT by NoLibZone (None here can be puzzled by why Jews walked into the cars so quietly- we are walking up the planks.)
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To: markomalley

Like my liberal neighbors, they have tolerance for only certain opinions. Christians are not welcome.


7 posted on 04/26/2013 6:42:00 PM PDT by Senator_Blutarski
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To: markomalley

Think like we think or else, tolerance?


8 posted on 04/26/2013 6:43:09 PM PDT by South Dakota (shut up and build a bakken pipe line)
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To: Viennacon

“Haye said in a statement that the ruling was likely to end his teaching career, but that he would not recant his beliefs.”

Bullshit like this has had a huge effect on my life. It’s dictated where I live and work. Thank God for this man - if only there were more like him who understand!


9 posted on 04/26/2013 6:44:18 PM PDT by JCBreckenridge (Texas is a state of mind - Steinbeck)
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To: markomalley

Homosexuals know that they are on very thin ice and must squelch all dissent to their mentally ill ways.


10 posted on 04/26/2013 6:45:34 PM PDT by CodeToad (Liberals are bloodsucking ticks. We need to light the matchstick to burn them off.)
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To: markomalley

This is so sad. A once great country is dying and decadent. There is nothing left to save.


11 posted on 04/26/2013 7:00:18 PM PDT by Essie
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To: Viennacon

“Christians survive. We just go underground.”

Hmmm..I’m in Hollywood and the Koreans/Tony Alamo Ministries are out in force again at the intersection of Hollywood and Highland (Walk of Fame). They really get in your face..


12 posted on 04/26/2013 7:13:35 PM PDT by max americana (fired liberals in our company after the election, & laughed while they cried (true story))
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To: markomalley
Haye, a Seventh Day Adventist, also reportedly told students that it those Christians who worship on Sundays are “basically worshipping the devil."

Some people don't know when to zip it with their man made teachings. Christians worship God all the time for His Spirit lives within them.

13 posted on 04/26/2013 7:21:13 PM PDT by presently no screen name
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To: markomalley

Basing “values” on fads and current trends is no system of values at all.

Its social tyrrany and bullying of the dumbest order.

Priding yourself on tolerating aberration while condemning tradition is nothing to be proud of.


14 posted on 04/26/2013 7:30:43 PM PDT by Noamie
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To: markomalley

Britain was once great and in 1611 her King James helped to evangelize the world by being the sponsor of the first mass-distribution bible. Mr. Justice King appears to be ignorant of what God tells us in that very book about homosexuality. Indeed, Mr. Justice King seems to be happy to rub the subject’s noses in his progressive opinion.

Of the many places in that Bible that God tells us His opinion of homosexuality, the one in Revelation 22:15 tells us that people who practice sexual immorality cannot enter the Holy City, a clear metaphor that God considers them to not be qualified to receive the free gift of eternal life made possible by His Son’s sacrifice.

Also “outside” of the Holy City are people who love and practice lies.


15 posted on 04/26/2013 7:39:08 PM PDT by theBuckwheat
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To: markomalley

Judge: Firing teacher who called homosexuality a sin reflects ‘modern British values of tolerance’

Well no. It reflects ignorance of the truth.


16 posted on 04/26/2013 8:04:29 PM PDT by SECURE AMERICA (Where can I go to sign up for the American Revolution 2013 and the Crusades 2013?)
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To: SECURE AMERICA
Well no. It reflects ignorance of the truth.

No, it reflects evil. (Can I still say that?)

17 posted on 04/26/2013 8:10:25 PM PDT by fwdude ( You cannot compromise with that which you must defeat.)
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To: markomalley

If homosexuality was normal, it wouldn’t need to be defended by such measures. That the powers-that-be resort to such measures is proof that they know full well that it is anything but normal, and their dogged persistence in denying that reality is contemptible.


18 posted on 04/26/2013 8:37:10 PM PDT by Edward Teach
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To: presently no screen name

amen to that. i talk and thank God many times during the day. not just the day i go to church.


19 posted on 04/26/2013 9:50:04 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (I can neither confirm or deny that; even if I could, I couldn't - it's classified.)
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To: markomalley

Cna’t call homosexual acts a sin, but can teach the how to’s of sodomy.

Insanity.

I’ll try to start pinging again soon.

Got totally overwhelmed.


20 posted on 04/26/2013 10:38:43 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. CSLewis)
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