A Church of England secondary school educator who was fired five years ago for criticizing pro-LGBTQ curricula is getting a new day in court.

Kristie Higgs, 47, was dismissed in 2019 from the Farmor’s School in Fairford, Gloucestershire, for alleged “gross misconduct” after criticizing a proposal to teach primary students as young as age 4 about LGBTQ relationships. The mother of two had been working for six years as a pastoral assistant at her local secondary school with an exemplary record when she was dismissed. In the U.K., pastoral assistants hold roles similar to school counselors in U.S. schools.

On Wednesday, senior judges with the Royal Courts of Justice will hear her case. She is hoping their ruling will lead to people being able to “express their beliefs without fear of being silenced,” the BBC reported.

According to the Christian Legal Centre (CLC), which represents Higgs, in 2019 she shared a link to a petition against the government’s proposed Relationships and Sex Education curriculum on her private Facebook page, using her maiden name. Someone reported the posts to her headteacher.

“Kristie was told that her private posts could ‘[bring] the school into disrepute’ and was subsequently sacked from her position,” CLC said in a statement.

In 2020, the Employment Tribunal ruled against Higgs. But in 2023, the Employment Appeal Tribunal overturned that decision, ruling that the tribunal had not adequately considered Higgs’ freedom of belief and expression.

The Royal Courts of Justice will consider her contention that she faced discrimination and harassment on the grounds of her Christian beliefs.

CLC noted in its statement that a petition similar to the one Higgs shared was subsequently signed by more than 115,000 people and debated in Parliament. Yet during an internal investigation the school conducted, CLC alleges that Higgs was accused of holding “pro-Nazi views” and “intolerance,” and was told to “keep religion out” of her arguments.

“I have been punished for sharing concerns about Relationships and Sex Education,” Higgs said in a statement. “I hold these views because of my Christian beliefs, beliefs and views which are shared by hundreds of thousands of parents across the UK. My number one concern has always been the effect that learning about sex and gender in school will have on children at such a young age. I am determined to fight this case and to stand for Christians and all parents across the country who are being silenced for sharing and holding these views.”

PA Images / Alamy.com