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Thousands of people have signed a petition in support of Sarah Morse, a Catholic teacher who revealed she was dismissed for giving students honest answers to their questions about abortion.
Morse, a 66-year-old American, was teaching a group of 14- to 15-year-old students at Arbroath High School in Scotland.
The students asked her opinion on topics ranging from transgenderism and U.S. President Donald Trump.
When asked about abortion, she replied, “I am a faithful Roman Catholic, and I am against it.”
By the day’s end, Morse said she was summoned to a meeting with a senior member of staff and “summarily dismissed” for talking “about religion and abortion.” Morse added that she wasn't given the opportunity to share her side of the story.
SPUC, which is supporting Morse in her case, said government guidelines don't prohibit teachers from sharing their personal views, provided there is no attempt to persuade the students.
The pro-life organization has initiated a petition on Citizen Go, calling upon Angus Council to “acknowledge that Sarah Morse was denied a fair and proportionate process” and to ensure that her case is resolved “fairly and lawfully.”
The petition, which has over 19,000 signatures, also called upon the council to uphold the right of teachers to express their “protected beliefs” and to ensure that teachers are no longer punished for giving honest answers to students' questions.
Morse has taken the council to an Employment Tribunal, which is scheduled for Aug. 24.
SPUC said in its petition, “If a teacher can lose their job simply for answering a pupil's question according to their conscience, then every teacher of faith receives the same message: Hide your beliefs or risk losing your career.
“This case is about far more than one teacher. It is about whether Christian teachers — and indeed teachers of any faith or protected belief — can answer pupils honestly without fearing professional ruin.”
John Deighan, SPUC chief executive, said the case raised important questions about whether people in Britain can peacefully express their sincerely held beliefs without fear of losing their livelihoods.
"If people can lose their livelihoods simply for expressing a peaceful pro-life belief when asked a direct question, then freedom of conscience and freedom of expression are at risk for all of us," he said.
"Together with CitizenGO, SPUC has launched a petition calling on Angus Council to resolve Sarah’s case fairly, respect freedom of belief and expression and help ensure that no one else faces similar treatment for peacefully expressing their convictions."
Angus Council said it would be inappropriate to comment due to ongoing legal proceedings.
This article was originally published at Christian Today
