Teacher Loses High Court Battle After Calling Being Gay a Sin in Class.
A teacher who told a class of Year 7 students that being gay is a sin and described transgender people as “just confused” has lost her legal battle in the High Court.
Glawdys Leger, a Christian, made these remarks during a religious studies lesson at Bishop Justus Church of England School in Bromley, South London, in February 2022. She told the class that being LGBT+ was “not fine” and that God should come before LGBTQ ideology.
Trouble began when one of the students shared what was said with her mother, who was disturbed by the comments. The student had recorded the remarks at her mother’s suggestion after being told to keep track of any “transphobic” statements.
The mother filed a complaint with the school, explaining that her daughter, like many children at that age, was exploring her identity and found the teacher’s comments deeply upsetting.
Following the complaint, Ms. Leger was suspended in March 2022 and officially dismissed two months later.
By December 2023, the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) ruled that Ms. Leger’s comments amounted to unprofessional conduct, leading to a permanent teaching ban.
Ms. Leger challenged the TRA’s decision by filing a case against the Department for Education (DfE) at the High Court. She argued that her statements were taken out of context and insisted that it was the school’s responsibility to provide a balanced and broad curriculum.
She also claimed that the public disclosure of the TRA’s findings on their website violated her privacy and would make it nearly impossible for her to secure another teaching position.
However, Mrs. Justice Lang dismissed her case, stating that Ms. Leger’s disagreement with the decision did not reflect any legal errors. The judge noted that the published decision would be removed after two years, even for prospective employers.
In her written judgment, Mrs. Justice Lang said, “The TRA and the Secretary of State made a lawful decision that publishing the findings was a reasonable and proportionate response to her unacceptable professional conduct.”
She added, “Although this was a Christian school, Ms. Leger herself admitted that she was unwilling to support the school’s policy. Her comments showed a lack of respect for the rights of others, even though they didn’t stem from intolerance or an intent to cause harm.”
The judge concluded that Ms. Leger’s remarks risked upsetting students and undermined the school’s goal of creating a supportive environment for children navigating issues around sexual identity.
