A Christian school worker who was dismissed after sharing Facebook posts criticising LGBTQ+ relationship lessons for primary schoolchildren has won her appeal. Kristie Higgs, a pastoral administrator at Farmor's School in Fairford, Gloucestershire, was sacked in 2019 following an anonymous complaint from a parent.
The Court of Appeal ruled on Wednesday that her dismissal was 'unlawfully discriminatory' and 'disproportionate'. Higgs had reposted and commented on messages about the No Outsiders equalities programme at her son's Church of England primary school, describing it as 'brainwashing' and criticising teachings on gender fluidity and same-sex marriage.
Lord Justice Underhill, sitting with Lord Justice Bean and Lady Justice Falk, stated that dismissing an employee merely for expressing a protected belief, to which the employer or a third party objects, constitutes unlawful direct discrimination under the Equality Act. The court noted that Higgs had not expressed such views at work or shown discriminatory attitudes towards pupils.
Higgs welcomed the ruling as 'a landmark day for Christian freedoms and free speech'. The case will now be sent back to an employment tribunal for a fresh decision on remedy. Stonewall said the judgment was on proportionality, not an endorsement of Higgs's beliefs.
