Photo: Christopher Jones and posted on the www.telegraph.co.uk web site

UK teacher fired for offering prayer able to return to work

Olive Jones, a British Christian supply teacher from Weston-super-Mare, has been offered the opportunity to return to her old job after North Somerset Council recognized that it can be appropriate for a tutor to share their faith with a pupil or a family, depending on the situation, reports Dan Wooding, founder of ASSIST Ministries.

According to the UK-based Christian Legal Centre, Mrs. Jones, 54, was dismissed in November 2009 after attending a meeting with her employers who had received a complaint from a parent that Olive had shared her faith with a sick pupil and asked the pupil’s mother whether she could pray for the pupil.

“Mrs. Jones was devastated at the decision made on November 25, 2009, particularly as she was a highly regarded teacher and enjoyed a good relationship with the pupil and her family,” said a spokesperson for the Christian Legal Centre. “She said that the decision was ‘completely disproportionate’ and that it made her feel as though she had committed a crime.

“No formal investigations were undertaken before the meeting to clarify what had happened at the pupil’s home.”

As a result of intervention by the Christian Legal Centre and extensive media coverage, the Council arranged to meet Olive in the New Year. On Tuesday, January 19, 2010, Olive Jones attended a meeting where she told the Council that she had not been present at a meeting where the family concerned had said that they did not wish to discuss faith matters, and that this information had not been relayed to her by colleagues. She said that therefore she had no idea that her offer to pray for the pupil was not wanted by the family and would result in a complaint.

After hearing that Olive had been unaware of the family’s wishes, the Council affirmed that it valued Olive’s skills and offered her the opportunity to return to work.

Andrea Williams, Director of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “We are delighted with this outcome and that Olive Jones has been offered the opportunity to return back to her old job. Common sense has prevailed and once again the Christian Legal Centre was able to respond to Olive’s situation with legal and media support to ensure that she got a fair hearing. We will continue to support people like Olive, who should never have to face this kind of disproportionate action and discrimination for merely living out their Christian faith.”

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TAGS: United Kingdom Olive Jones offering prayer Christian Legal Centre freedom of speach

[02/02/2010]

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