Gay teachers can be dismissed by religious schools if it can be shown that their homosexuality clashes with the ethos of the institution. The Dutch Interior Minister, Guusje Ter Horst, made this statement in a letter to parliament attempting to clear up uncertainty on the highly controversial issue.
Up to now religious school boards faced legal proceedings if they expelled homosexual teachers.
The law was unclear as two constitutional rights clashed: freedom of education and freedom of sexual orientation.
In her letter, Minister Ter Horst says schools are entitled to demand that their staff adhere to the school's principles.
In the case of strict Christian schools, this means they are entitled to reject applicants or sack teachers if their sexual orientation conflicts with the school's Christian values.
Nevertheless the minister stresses that in general homosexuals cannot be sacked or refused employment purely on the basis of their sexual orientation.
This gets around the anti-discrimination Universal Equal Treatment Act (AWGB), which states that religious schools are not allowed to sack an employee because of the "single fact" of a homosexual nature or a homosexual relationship but can make a distinction on the grounds of "additional circumstances".
Last May, a Christian primary school in the Dutch town of Emst suspended a gay teacher on the grounds that his sexual orientation conflicted with the mission of the school. Religious schools in the Netherlands are state-funded in the same way as non-religious schools, based on the principle of freedom of education.
In June, the Council of State, the Netherlands highest advisory body, ruled that although schools are not allowed to discriminate, they can make specific demands of their staff.
The minister's letter is at odds with the Education Minister, Ronald Plasterk's view that schools have no right to dismiss teachers for being openly gay.
In her letter, Ms Ter Horst admits that existing laws are confusing, although there are no plans to change legislation on this matter.
She says her letter is intended to clarify matters.
What do you think? Should religious schools be given a wider margin to dismiss teachers on the basis of the sexual orientation?
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I AM BI-SEXUAL AND LOVE MEN, SO WHAT??
Christ taught you have turned it around to say what you want it to say so you can move upon whatever your agenda is. Love is a taught subject of Jesus and he did love us all, but to come to him and be with him in the after life you have to listen to what the words say. Homosexuality is not on the list. Read Romans 1 to get more educated. Like you, homosexuals have turned the messages of Christ to read what they want so to change the means. I am sorry you are so wrong. mike
JESUS LOVES EVERYBODY!I AM THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE AND HE THAT COMES TO ME I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT.COME TO ME ALL YOU WHO LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.
there are so many important issues in this world that need attention.while we spend time over other people sleeping arrangements.
This may be an old thread but when I see the pure evil that is written here I can't help but feel revulsion.
I am amazed at how certain religious believers are capable of living in society without slitting the throats of their gay neighbours given the depth of their hatred and their demands to be allowed to discriminate in truly repugnant ways. These "ordinary" folks are the ones that give all believers a bad name.
i am from a religous school and in jr. high a teacher of mine told us about a gay teacher he wasnt open about it he didnt even sound like it and he did his job well but some how the board found out and they fired him im not sure how but she said he was in her room trembleing and crying scard to death about
it and she said she helped him out to fine and new job and she was really upset that they did that
i dont think it's fair the only thing they did was hurt sombody and in there own bible it tell's them to be nice you think jesus wanted that you think thats what jesus would do no eat there own words
It IS a sin and freedom of speech says that we can say it, as long as dont provoke action. Period.
But the thing is that gays are on the path of directing the sexuality of the youth.
Then they can control the front.
The goal of the homosexual activists is to indoctrinate the youth into the lifestyle. Therefore, they grow up believing this is "normal" and thereby participate from the beginning. I applaud the recognition by the state to allow religious schools to maintain certain expectations in the school's perameters. Otherwise, there is no freedom that is guaranteed by law. Too much freedom results in restrictions. 1939 Germany is a classic example.
"1939 Germany is a classic example" of what? Reductio ad Hitlerum?
Tim Avants is a self-professed master of all. Read his vanity press, self-published vomit for the laughs. Read about the destruction he has caused in life for the tears. Work with, marry, be related to, or know him for the pain.
LEGALIZE IT EVERYWHERE. AGE NO PROBLEM
They shouldn't be hired in the 1st place! Religious schools have an obligation to the parents who send their children to those schools to hold fast to the ethos of the school. A teacher will impart their values to their students. Children look up to their teachers as examples and role models. An openly gay teacher will often adopt the common openly gay flamboyancy and charisma - and this in itself sends a powerful message to the students. So no. Please. Respect the rights of the parents to decide on the type of role-models that they wish for their children. The right to NOT ACCEPT homosexuality as a valid alternative to heterosexuality needs to be respected and upheld ESPECIALLY in schools and institutions.
You actually ARE being left alone. As long as you don't trample ground that belongs to people from other moral convictions. People can choose what they wish to believe. Maybe a little more respect and 'live and let live' for people who don't agree that homosexuality is natural / healthy / Godly, wouldn't go astray?
What a load of nonsense: you do NOT have the choice to be gay. You are born gay. There IS evidence that this is in your DNA.
And this HIV-story (as if this was God's punishment to gay people) is such nonsense as well. So all the other diseases, like cancer for instance, are a punishment to heterosexuals as well?
It would be good for everyone to realise that there are same sex short- and long-term relationships, just as there are short- and long-term relationships between heterosexuals. As if heterosexuals don't sleep around! Could we all be a bit more open-minded about things? And also honest with ourselves. If people weren't so prejudiced and narrow-minded, life on earth would be much more pleasant for everyone.
Can I just say that I am a very happily married woman (with another woman). We have two lovely kids, they go to kindergarten, and we both work. We have a house, a car etc. We have family, friends, neighbours, etc. who love us. Our life is in no way different to any heterosexual couple. I am very happy living in Belgium, I must add, where I never meet anyone saying such nonsense. Here, no one even blinks a eyelid when I say I am married to a woman. I am very open about me having a wife, and not at all embarassed or ashamed about my life. On the contrary, I feel very lucky I can be with a woman who understands me very well. We have a very strong and loving relationhip. The children get all our love and attention, and I am sure they'll be happy, open-minded people when they're grown ups, with a lot of love to give themselves.
It's ll about love, after all. Why people make such a fuss about the fact that two people love each other and want to share their lives with each other, is beyond me. God is love, and I honestly don't think at all he is remotely interested whether this love is between heterosexuals or homosexuals. As if that would preocupy him!
I also thaught at a catholic school. With the life I lead, I can't see anything which would be offensive to that religion. But Belgium is a bit of an exeption there, in that catholicism here is very liberated. So, we got married in a church and had a wonderful wedding. Our priest 'blessed' us. Family and friends are still talking about this wonderful wedding; a very happy occasion. I wish all heterosexuals and gay people in the world the same experience. And to all those 'christians' out there who think they're interpreting the Bible well by discarding gays, I can only say this: you are wrong. This is not what the Bible says, it's all about interpretation. The key message is: love. And it is not christian at all to discard anyone.
Elizabeth, no Christian should discard you but only the act of homosexuality. Let's see what the Bible does say about same sex relationships...
"Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. Lev 18:22
But that's the Old Testament, you say, and doesnt matter!
"For this cause, God delivered them up to shameful affections. For their women have changed the natural use into that use which is against nature" (Romans 1:26).
Why? For what reason?
Well, verses 23-25 say, because "claiming to be wise, they became fools. 25 Who changed the truth of God into Wherefore, God gave them up to the desires of their heart, unto uncleanness: to dishonour their own bodies among themselves. exchanged the truth for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen"
That means that we become so puffed up in thinking that we know things that we, as humans, all of humanity, are bound to be turned over to misled thinking, See, it seems right because God turns us over. People are turned over to greed, lust, drivem pre-occupation, and many other things.
But why is it at a young age? It's inborn! (you may answer)
No, demons or seducing spirits follow a family line where forefathers have sinned without repentance and attack the kids. Or, demons start somewhere that the parent has not been diligent. We must see it for what it is. In "Hostage to the Devil," a demon responded to the exorcist's questions "why possess this person?" It answered "He was chosen before birth." Readers, I urge you to get alone and pray "in the name of Jesus, Lord I am sorry for all sin and please teach me your truth." From there, you will learn, maybe fast or slow but you WILL see if you put your mind to seek God as a person thorugh His Word made flesh and come in the name of Jesus. We decry the act but stand for you and your salvation. Tim Avants
Elizabeth. No one is being 'discarded' as you say. The question this forum raises is 'should religious schools have the right to fire openly gay teachers'. And the answer to that is quite reasonably that private schools MUST choose carefully and discriminately the role models for the children they are responsible to teach, based on the ethos of the school that was chosen by the parents for those children.
We all make our choices, and they must all be respected. But not necessarily embraced by everone, yeah?
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