Two preschool teachers employed by Little Oaks School were fired for not “proving” their faith.
A Christian school in Thousand Oaks, Calif., is facing a legal battle against two former teachers who were fired for failing to prove their faith.
Preschool teachers Lynda Serrano and Mary Ellen Guevara threatened the school with a lawsuit after being fired for refusing to sign a statement of faith and providing a reference from a pastor.
The Little Oaks School then filed its own lawsuit in federal court Jan. 25, citing civil rights laws that protect their freedom to hire teachers who share their religious beliefs, the Venture County Star reports.
Also, the school failed to renew their nonprofit status so they can be sued under the California Fair Employment and Housing act.
“The question is ultimately, do the nondiscrimination rights of the teachers under state law trump the religious rights of the school under federal law?” Richard Kahdeman, a lawyer representing the church and school, told the Star.
In their statement, the teachers expressed surprise that the school contends California law is unconstitutional yet did not include the state as a defendant. They said they won’t stop fighting for the teachers’ rights, The Star reports.
This will be an interesting court case.
