Christian teacher jailed after refusing to use gender-neutral pronouns is told he will remain behind bars for Christmas
by Christian Oliver, Mailonline:
A Christian teacher who was jailed following his refusal to use gender-neutral pronouns has been told that he will remain behind bars over Christmas.
Enoch Burke was jailed in September after refusing to obey a court order to stay away from Wilson’s Hospital School in County Westmeath, Ireland, a school he is employed at.
His school told him to stay away in August after he was suspended on full pay for refusing to address a transitioning student as ‘they’ rather than ‘he,’ citing his devout Christian beliefs, which he maintained are against ‘transgenderism’.
But Mr Burke ignored the order and continued to attend school, leading to his arrest.
Mr Burke pleaded with the judge over video link today from Mountjoy Prison, Dublin, to let him out for the festive period.
He told Mr Justice Conor Digham he was ‘not a thief, a murderer or a drug dealer’ and that he was being imprisoned because of his Christian beliefs.
But the judge refused to release Mr Burke as he was not willing to comply with the court order.
However, Mr Burke can be released at any point so long as he purges his contempt before the court.
He told the court that he would not do so as this would be reneging on his duty to God and his core Christian beliefs.
Petition: Get Enoch Home for Christmas, by Caroline Farrow, CitizenGo:
Enoch has been jailed under a legal provision that allows for a person to kept in prison indefinitely, even though they have not committed a crime.
This ought to terrify us all.
As Christmas approaches, Enoch’s incarceration will be exacting an emotional toll on not only Enoch himself but also his family. Unlike other prisoners, neither Enoch nor his family have no idea when they may be reunited. He has pleaded with the judge to release him in time for Christmas, but to no avail.
Enoch’s plight has some personal resonance. I am also facing Christmas with the prospect of criminal charges and potential imprisonment hanging over me. If I am charged, I am likely to face a similar situation to Enoch, if a judge attempts to force me to use incorrect pronouns in a court room.
The power of the state to compel and deprive us of our freedom often seems theoretical, until it actually happens to us.
Many thanks,
Caroline Farrow and the entire CitizenGO Team
P.S. If you have already signed, please share the petition with your friends.
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