Teacher fired, reported to counter-terrorism agency after telling lesbian student ‘God loves you’
A government-funded pre-apprenticeship academy in Bristol reported a Christian teacher as a “radicalisation threat” for answering students ’ questions about her beliefs , Bristol Employment Tribunal has heard. Svetlana Powell, a teacher of some 17 years’ experience, told the Tribunal that she was dismissed by the T2 Apprenticeship Academy in Bristol in July 2016 after being asked by students about her views on homosexuality. In reply to a personal question, Mrs Powell said that her personal belief was that homosexuality was against God ’s will, but that He loved every person, regardless of what they did, or who they were. When told that one of the students identified as a lesbian, Mrs Powell in conviction of God’s care and love for every person, turned to her and said: “God loves you”. Two days later, the Academy’s HR Officer , Stacy Preston, told Mrs Powell that she was fired for “ gross misconduct ” with immediate effect. The Academy’s Chief Safeguarding Office...