Catholic teacher fired for sharing pro-life views sues school
Sarah Morse maintains she sought to model respectful disagreement rather than persuade students, as her wrongful dismissal claim heads to an employment tribunal.
A Catholic teacher in Scotland is taking legal action after alleging she was fired for expressing her pro-life views, according to GBN.
Sarah Morse, who taught history at Arbroath High School in Scotland, said she was dismissed from her position after answering students' questions about her beliefs, including her opposition to abortion and support for President Donald Trump.
Morse said she was fired the day following the discussion and was not given an opportunity to present her side before she was dismissed, later describing the experience as a “nightmare” according to GBN.
"I was not offered any sort of right of reply,” she said, “asked for my account of what happened, or how my legally protected beliefs were raised in the context of a history class.”
Morse said the discussion was meant to model respectful disagreement rather than influence students’ opinions.
“At no time did I attempt to persuade any student to adopt my position,” she said, according to the outlet. “I taught them that it is possible to have hard conversations with respect and that disagreement is a natural part of a free society.”
According to GBN, Morse was raised in the U.S. before moving to Scotland.
Michael Robinson, executive director of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, which is supporting Morse's legal case, said the dismissal raises concerns about teachers' ability to answer students' questions while expressing legally protected beliefs.
“The dismissal of a teacher,” Robinson said, according to GBN, “for respectfully answering a student's question truthfully according to her conscience is a grave matter.”
Angus Council, which manages Arbroath High School, declined to comment on the allegations.
"This matter,” an Angus Council spokesperson said in a statement according to the outlet, “is the subject of ongoing legal proceedings, and therefore it would be inappropriate for us to comment."
GBN reported that an employment tribunal is scheduled for Aug. 24.
