Gozen Soydag, a 37-year-old counselor from Enfield, is taking legal action against St Anne’s Catholic High School for Girls, claiming wrongful dismissal, harassment, discrimination, and breaches of her human rights.
Soydag, a passionate advocate for traditional Christian beliefs on marriage, alleges that her personal views, particularly about the roles of wives in marriage, led to her unfair dismissal.
She was terminated on her birthday, ordered to leave the school premises without pay, and claims her social media was censored by the institution.
The Social Media Controversy
Soydag’s social media presence, particularly her Instagram account @wifeinthewaiting, became the center of attention.
The account, which has garnered over 30,000 followers, is described as a “God-centered ministry” aimed at empowering women who wish to marry and celebrate traditional family values.
Her online content, which includes videos discussing marriage and submission within relationships, led to internal scrutiny.
One particular video, showing a woman in Muslim attire discussing her happiness in submitting to her husband, caught the attention of school officials.
Soydag maintains that she shared the video not to endorse it entirely, but to spark discussion about marriage.
Social Media Scrutiny and Response
In February 2023, Soydag was called to a meeting with a senior staff member to discuss her social media activity.
She was told that her posts, including the controversial video, were viewed as misogynistic and that her public online profile was incompatible with the school’s ethos.
Although Soydag tried to explain that her accounts were not meant for younger audiences, she was given an ultimatum to make her accounts private or face consequences.
She was later informed that complaints about her beliefs had been raised by a parent, and despite her attempts to comply, her accounts remained visible to the public.
The Dismissal
A few weeks later, Soydag was called in again, this time with a clear message: her online presence was causing issues with the school’s mission.
She was told that her beliefs, which aligned with traditional Christian views on marriage, were incompatible with the school’s values.
In an email, she was informed that her profile needed to be altered or removed entirely.
The school also criticized her for not complying swiftly enough.
The situation escalated, and on the day of her dismissal, Soydag was ordered to leave the premises immediately.
She was unable to say goodbye to her colleagues or students, leaving in tears.
The Fight for Justice
Now, Soydag is seeking damages for wrongful dismissal and is pursuing a declaration under the Equality Act 2010.
She insists she did nothing wrong and still doesn’t understand why she was fired.
She explains that her work at the school involved mentoring young girls, and she never promoted her personal social media accounts to students.
Her online ministry was focused on women in their 30s and 40s, guiding them toward marriage according to Christian principles.
Soydag argues that her dismissal was a direct attack on her Christian beliefs, particularly on the traditional understanding of marriage.
She believes that the marginalization of her views is part of a broader trend of undermining traditional Christian values in society.
She is determined to fight for justice, not just for herself, but for the future of Christian teachings in schools.
Support from Christian Legal Advocates
Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of the Christian Legal Centre, has voiced strong support for Soydag, criticizing the school for abandoning its Christian principles in favor of secular ideologies.
Williams stated that the school, which claims to have a strong Christian ethos, capitulated under pressure and dismissed Soydag for her beliefs about marriage.
The case, Williams argues, highlights the growing trend of censorship and suppression of Christian views in schools and society at large.
The Christian Legal Centre stands by Soydag in her pursuit of justice, emphasizing the importance of protecting traditional Christian views on marriage in educational environments.
This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!
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