Kristie Higgs, a Christian school employee formerly working at Farmor’s School in Fairford, Gloucestershire, has achieved a significant legal victory in the Court of Appeal concerning her dismissal linked to her social media posts on LGBT+ relationships education. The judgment, delivered on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, contradicts the previous ruling by the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) in June 2023, which had instructed that the case should be returned to an employment tribunal for further consideration.

The court’s decision emerged after Higgs was sacked in 2019 for posting critical content on Facebook regarding proposed teachings about LGBT relationships in primary schools. During her employment, she served as a pastoral administrator and work experience manager. Following her dismissal, she argued that her rights and beliefs, particularly regarding gender and marriage, were protected under the Equality Act.

Lord Justice Underhill, along with Lord Justice Bean and Lady Justice Falk, ruled in favour of Higgs, criticising the earlier EAT decision as “unlawfully discriminatory.” They stated, “In the present case the claimant, who was employed in a secondary school, had posted messages, mostly quoted from other sources, objecting to Government policy on sex education in primary schools because of its promotion of ‘gender fluidity’ and its equation of same-sex marriage with marriage between a man and a woman.” The judges confirmed that Higgs’ views on gender and marriage are protected under the law, stating that it had been established that her beliefs are indeed protected characteristics.

Despite the ruling, Farmor’s School justified Higgs’ dismissal by alleging that her posts were expressed in an inappropriate manner and contained language that could harm the school’s reputation. The school argued that her comments, which included references to “brainwashing our children,” were made in a manner that could be perceived as derogatory towards proponents of LGBT+ education. However, the tribunal determined that such expressions, made outside of work and without any direct evidence of discrimination against students, could not justify her dismissal.

Following the ruling, Higgs expressed optimism for the implications of the judgment, stating, “I pray that today will prove to be a landmark day for Christian freedoms and free speech.” She has advocated for the ability of individuals, particularly Christians, to express their beliefs on social media without fear of repercussions from employers.

Higgs’ legal battle began in 2018 after she shared two Facebook posts on a private account read by approximately 100 friends, which attracted the attention of the school following an anonymous complaint. After a disciplinary hearing prompted her dismissal for gross misconduct, Higgs maintained that her expressions were not motivated by homophobia or transphobia, claiming she had worked with LGBT pupils without incident.

The case has drawn considerable attention regarding the balance between freedom of speech, religious beliefs, and the expectations of workplace conduct, contributing to an ongoing dialogue about these sensitive topics within the educational context.

Source: Noah Wire Services