If Teri James hadn’t gotten pregnant she would probably still have her job at San Diego Christian College  But even at a school where virgin birth is not unheard of, James’ pregnancy was undeniable evidence that she had participated in premarital sex. And that, James claims, is why they fired her last October.

The school claimed she violated a morals clause in her contract, a tact taken by other schools that have successfully fired pregnant out-of-wedlock employees.  Her termination letter read: “Teri engaged in activity outside the scope of the Handbook and Community Covenant that does not build up the college’s mission.”   

James hired Gloria Allred and they sued in San Diego Superior Court. The suit alleges the financial aid analyst was discriminated against based on gender, pregnancy and marital status. The suit also alleges invasion of privacy, unlawful disclosure of medical information and “intentional infliction of emotional distress.”

It has been against the law to fire women because they are pregnant since passage of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, an amendment to the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Christian schools often invoke what they perceive to be a religious exemption from the law, but in this case may opt for the more general claim of moral turpitude. James was told by the Human Resources director that she was fired for having premarital sex, according to Allred.

A two-page “community covenant” James was required to sign for employment dictates that she abstain from “abusive anger, malice, jealousy, lust, sexually immoral behavior including premarital sex, adultery, pornography and homosexuality, evil desires and prejudice based on race, sex or socioeconomic status.”

Allred told NBC News that nowhere in the contract does it say an employee will be fired for not complying.  

At a press conference, Allred said that after James was fired, the school offered a job to her boyfriend, Brandon James, although they knew he had a relationship with the woman just fired for immoral behavior. He declined the job.

Brandon and Teri moved their wedding up from January 19 to just 12 days after her October termination. When she lost her job, she lost her health benefits.

–Ken Broder

To Learn More:  

Christian School Fires Teacher After She Becomes Pregnant (by Annie-Rose Strasser, ThinkProgress)

San Diego Christian School Allegedly Fires a Pregnant Woman for Having Sex before Marriage (by Carol Kuruvilla, New York Daily News)

Christian School Fires Pregnant Woman over Premarital Sex (by Isolde Raftery, NBC News)

Religion Isn’t a Free Pass to Discriminate against Employees (by Christina Brandt-Young and Jenny Lee, American Civil Liberties Union)

Statement about Lawsuit (by attorney Gloria Allred) (pdf)

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 (U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission)