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Dr Sheila Matthews, who lost her job on an adoption panel after refusing to place children with gay couoles, has lost her case of unfair dismissal.
By: Nigel Robinson
Doctior Shelia Matthews
Doctior Shelia Matthews
Doctor in gay adoption row loses case
18 November 2010
Dr Matthews claimed that she had been a victim of religious discrimination from Northamptonshire Council Adoption Panel, because her Christian views would not allow her to place children with a same-sex couple.
However, after a two day hearing, an employment tribunal in Leicester ruled that Dr Matthews had not suffered religious discrimination
“The complaints of religious discrimination fail and are dismissed,” Judge John MacMillan said.
“This case fails fairly and squarely on its facts. In our judgment, at least from the time of the pre-hearing review, the continuation of these proceedings was plainly misconceived… they were doomed to fail.
“There is simply no factual basis for the claims.
Speaking after the hearing, Dr Matthews said that she was “saddened” by the tribunal’s decision, and that she had brought the case to the tribunal to highlight what she called a “very worrying and damaging trend”.
“Christian professionals who seek to express their professional judgement in the very best interests of children are being silenced or discriminated against,” she claimed.
“There are a number of cases occurring throughout the country where sincere individuals are being accused of discrimination or promoting faith views unreasonably and it seems that the rights of other groups such as homosexual people trump that of Christian believers.”
Earlier Dr Matthews had denied being homophobic, but said that, as a Christian, she believed that a marriage between a man and woman in a faithful monogamous relationship was the most appropriate environment in which to bring up children.
She added: “The Bible is also clear that homosexual practice is not how God wants us to live.”
