Christian teacher guilty of 'unacceptable professional conduct' for sharing sexuality beliefs in Church of England school

Glawdys Leger (Photo: Christian Legal Centre)

A Christian teacher at a Church of England school has been found guilty of "unacceptable professional conduct" after expressing her views about human sexuality. 

The ruling from the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) against Glawdys Leger, 43, stopped short of banning her from teaching indefinitely. 

"The Secretary of State for Education has considered the panel's recommendation and has decided that it is not appropriate to impose a prohibition order," it said. 

However, the ruling will be added to her teacher record which can be used by future employers to check her background. 

Ms Leger was sacked by the Bishop Justus Church of England School in Bromley, Kent, in May 2022, after objecting to material that had been incorporated into Religious Education (RE) lessons for Year 7 pupils. 

The teacher, who is being supported by the Christian Legal Centre (CLC), had been a Modern Foreign Languages teacher for 12 years. 

Responding to the ruling, Ms Leger said she was "relieved" not to be banned from the profession but said she found it "extremely alarming" to have been "found guilty of discussing and debating Christian teaching in a Christian school in an RE lesson".

She added that being brought before the TRA had "taken a great toll on me". 

"I raised what I did because children were being taught one extreme LGBTQI+ narrative at the school with no debate. Yet for raising, expressing and teaching Christian beliefs on these issues, I have been accused of not presenting a balanced view," she said. 

"Any Christian or religious school must be upfront and honest with parents who believe they are sending their children to a Christian school, if it no longer adheres to Christian teaching or beliefs, or even its own teaching on human sexuality.

"They must be transparent with parents that, in many cases, some Christian schools are instead pushing deeply contested and harmful ideologies on children without their parents' permission or knowledge."

She continued, "The message from the TRA is that Christian teachers must not only be silent about their beliefs, but they must actively promote LGBT ideology or risk being severely punished and even losing their careers."

CLC chief executive Andrea Williams said: "Regulatory bodies are creating an oppressive environment for teachers which chills the atmosphere and prevents the expression of Christian faith in schools and any alternative or balancing viewpoint to LGBTQI+ ideology.

"Glawdys is a Christian teacher who was teaching Christian ethics in an RE lesson in a Christian school. For her to be punished for doing her job well creates censorship in the classroom.

"Ms Leger cared deeply about the children in her care and wanted to teach them about the tolerance and hope that is found in the Christian faith. For that she has been punished and even risked loss of her license to teach.

"We are ready to continue to support Glawdys and to appeal any of the findings made against her by the TRA."

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