LONG LIVE FORNICATION!

It had nothing to do with a student.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/37683770/ns/today-today_people/?GT1=43001

Teacher fired for premarital sex
Jarretta Hamilton taught fourth grade at private Christian school
By Mike Celizic
TODAYshow.com contributor
updated 12:01 p.m. ET, Mon., June 14, 2010

The couple sat close together with her right hand clasped in his left hand and her left arm cradling the 8-month-old daughter whose conception cost the woman her job.

The couple’s sin, according to her former employer, Southland Christian School in St. Cloud, Fla., is fornication — having sex before they got married.

Jarretta Hamilton and her husband of 16 months, Samuel Treftz, told TODAY’s Ann Curry Monday that the termination violated federal anti-discrimination laws. In addition, they allege in a pending lawsuit, the school’s principal, Jon Ennis, invaded Hamilton’s privacy by telling other teachers and the parents of her students the exact reason she was fired.

“When they let me go, they told the entire staff in a staff meeting that I had been fired and the reason why they let me go. And then they called all of my parents to my fourth-grade students and told them as well,” Hamilton said.

Ennis declined to appear on TODAY, citing a lawsuit filed by Hamilton against the school. But in a prerecorded report filed by NBC News’ Mike Taibbi, Ennis was asked if he stood by the firing. “Yes, absolutely,” he replied.

‘Didn’t know it would cost me my job’
Hamilton said her problems are all the result of her being honest. A widow with five children from her first marriage, she had gotten work as a teacher at Southland Christian School in January 2008. Meanwhile, she also met Treftz, and they planned a Feb. 20, 2009, wedding.

Three weeks before the wedding, she conceived her daughter, Sarah.

In April 2009, Hamilton and Treftz went together to Ennis and told him she would be taking maternity leave in the fall. She says Ennis first complained that it was difficult for the school to cover women on maternity leave.

“I was only requesting a standard six weeks maternity leave, and as the conversation progressed, he said, ‘I’m just trying to do the math here. When did you get married?’ ” Hamilton told Curry.

“I said Feb. 20,” she continued. “He said, ‘Well, did you conceive prior to marriage?’ I answered and I told him, ‘Yes.’ ”

Hamilton said she answered partly because she was so surprised by the very personal question.

“I was absolutely shocked. It came out of nowhere. I was honest about it. I didn’t know it would cost me my job,” she said.

Fired for ‘fornication’
A week later, she was notified that she was terminated. In a letter sent to her attorney, Edward Gay, last July, the school’s administrator, Julie Ennis, wrote:

“Jarretta was asked not to return because of a moral issue that was disregarded, namely fornication, sex outside of marriage. The employment application, which she filled out, clearly states that as a leader before our students we require all teachers to maintain and communicate the values and purpose of our school.”

That’s a long way from saying teachers are prohibited from having premarital sex, the couple argue.

“If there was a contract in place that had a specific morality clause, I think that would make a difference,” Treftz said.

Hamilton agreed, adding, “At least people would know what they’re getting into. I didn’t know that they were going to judge so harshly; that this was the way they felt about premarital sex. I wasn’t clear what their stance was on certain issues.”

Gay, who joined the couple for the TODAY interview, said that pastors and clergy have the right to make moral decisions regarding church personnel, but this case is different because Hamilton was a teacher.

“The courts have consistently ruled that a private school is just like any other employer. As long as there’s more than 50 employees, they are governed by the law regarding discrimination,” Gay said. “The teachers are serving a secular purpose, and therefore they are governed by federal laws of discrimination.”

In the letter explaining the termination to Gay, Julie Ennis ended by asking Hamilton to give up the lawsuit.

“We request that Jarretta withdraw her complaint and consider the testimony of the Lord,” the letter concludes.

Dosent almost everyone have premarital sex?

I just become a bit taken aback by those who DEMAND that public school is no place for christian values,, but dont want those values implemented in Christian schools either......( I dont think this refers to you,,btw)

Which Christian values do you speak of?

I know of no school that forbids students from abstaining from lying, or forbids students from abstaining from stealing, or...

...really, I know of no school that forbids students from practicing any of the ten commandments, or which forbid students from silently praying.


Too many Christians confuse (a) the deliberate rejection of enforced or systemized Christian practices with (b) individuals being prohibited from those same practices.

tell that to the boy who was expelled for wearing rosary beads,,,schools do FORBID certain religious expressions,, and religious based schools are someplace where the religious can feel more FREEDOM to do so , and sometimes, where REFUSING to do so can lead to their elimination just like refusing to follow the rules which forbid religious expression in public schools can lead to elimination,,,

its an alternative environment which welcomes those things and values that public schools denounce and forbid

Ms Harmony - are you saying that the wearing of rosary beads is a christian value?

Or are you willing to step back from your earlier claim about schools prohibiting christian values?

If you are going to claim that people insist that school is no place for Christian values, I'd like to know exactly which values are discouraged at the schools. Based on your past posts, I actually expect you and I might agree on which values are appropriate for a school environment.

It had nothing to do with a student.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/37683770/ns/today-today_people/?GT1=43001

Teacher fired for premarital sex
Jarretta Hamilton taught fourth grade at private Christian school
By Mike Celizic
TODAYshow.com contributor
updated 12:01 p.m. ET, Mon., June 14, 2010

The couple sat close together with her right hand clasped in his left hand and her left arm cradling the 8-month-old daughter whose conception cost the woman her job.

The couple’s sin, according to her former employer, Southland Christian School in St. Cloud, Fla., is fornication — having sex before they got married.

Jarretta Hamilton and her husband of 16 months, Samuel Treftz, told TODAY’s Ann Curry Monday that the termination violated federal anti-discrimination laws. In addition, they allege in a pending lawsuit, the school’s principal, Jon Ennis, invaded Hamilton’s privacy by telling other teachers and the parents of her students the exact reason she was fired.

“When they let me go, they told the entire staff in a staff meeting that I had been fired and the reason why they let me go. And then they called all of my parents to my fourth-grade students and told them as well,” Hamilton said.

Ennis declined to appear on TODAY, citing a lawsuit filed by Hamilton against the school. But in a prerecorded report filed by NBC News’ Mike Taibbi, Ennis was asked if he stood by the firing. “Yes, absolutely,” he replied.

‘Didn’t know it would cost me my job’
Hamilton said her problems are all the result of her being honest. A widow with five children from her first marriage, she had gotten work as a teacher at Southland Christian School in January 2008. Meanwhile, she also met Treftz, and they planned a Feb. 20, 2009, wedding.

Three weeks before the wedding, she conceived her daughter, Sarah.

In April 2009, Hamilton and Treftz went together to Ennis and told him she would be taking maternity leave in the fall. She says Ennis first complained that it was difficult for the school to cover women on maternity leave.

“I was only requesting a standard six weeks maternity leave, and as the conversation progressed, he said, ‘I’m just trying to do the math here. When did you get married?’ ” Hamilton told Curry.

“I said Feb. 20,” she continued. “He said, ‘Well, did you conceive prior to marriage?’ I answered and I told him, ‘Yes.’ ”

Hamilton said she answered partly because she was so surprised by the very personal question.

“I was absolutely shocked. It came out of nowhere. I was honest about it. I didn’t know it would cost me my job,” she said.

Fired for ‘fornication’
A week later, she was notified that she was terminated. In a letter sent to her attorney, Edward Gay, last July, the school’s administrator, Julie Ennis, wrote:

“Jarretta was asked not to return because of a moral issue that was disregarded, namely fornication, sex outside of marriage. The employment application, which she filled out, clearly states that as a leader before our students we require all teachers to maintain and communicate the values and purpose of our school.”

That’s a long way from saying teachers are prohibited from having premarital sex, the couple argue.

“If there was a contract in place that had a specific morality clause, I think that would make a difference,” Treftz said.

Hamilton agreed, adding, “At least people would know what they’re getting into. I didn’t know that they were going to judge so harshly; that this was the way they felt about premarital sex. I wasn’t clear what their stance was on certain issues.”

Gay, who joined the couple for the TODAY interview, said that pastors and clergy have the right to make moral decisions regarding church personnel, but this case is different because Hamilton was a teacher.

“The courts have consistently ruled that a private school is just like any other employer. As long as there’s more than 50 employees, they are governed by the law regarding discrimination,” Gay said. “The teachers are serving a secular purpose, and therefore they are governed by federal laws of discrimination.”

In the letter explaining the termination to Gay, Julie Ennis ended by asking Hamilton to give up the lawsuit.

“We request that Jarretta withdraw her complaint and consider the testimony of the Lord,” the letter concludes.

I the rosary beads is an expression of religion,,,not a value, I did not mean to imply otherwise,,,

tell that to the boy who was expelled for wearing rosary beads,,,schools do FORBID certain religious expressions,, and religious based schools are someplace where the religious can feel more FREEDOM to do so , and sometimes, where REFUSING to do so can lead to their elimination just like refusing to follow the rules which forbid religious expression in public schools can lead to elimination,,,

its an alternative environment which welcomes those things and values that public schools denounce and forbid

A Christian school isn't much different than a Christian church.Both the teachers and pastors are supposed to be role models for those who are following what they are teaching.I wouldn't want to go to a church where I see the pastor coming out of a strip club.I also don't think it would be right if I saw the teacher in a dance club drunk off her butt,bumping and grinding with every guy she sees.

Christian schools obviously have the highest standards for teachers in any schools in America.Those standards include living a life a biblically correct as possible.Much like a pastor in a church,you can't preach one thing and then turn around and do what you just told a hundred kids not to be doing.It's sets a very bad example and only makes you look like a hypocrite.

A lesbian teenager was banned from her school prom and was subsequently conspired against by ADULTS based on a VALUE which was neither hers nor was it displayed - it was a religious belief.

Personally I don't believe we need to allow outward signs of religious beliefs in public schools, the VALUES that are unseen do enough harm and outward physical signs of a belief would only instill greater group division among the students. Learning to get along with others without falling in line behind a religious symbol is difficult enough.

probably some of the school board touch themselves when no one is looking!