A chaplain was reported to the Government’s anti-terror watchdog by a Derbyshire school after suggesting to students they should ‘make up their own minds’ on LGBT teachings.
Reverend Dr Bernard Randall was reported to ‘Prevent’, a programme which seeks to prevent people from being radicalised, after his teachings at Trent College, in Long Eaton.
The 48-year-old claims he was approached by students at the Christian school who suggested they had been confused and upset by the school’s new LGBT teaching proposals.
Lawyers for Reverend Randall said he subsequently held a sermon in the school’s chapel, where he presented the Church of England’s biblical teachings on marriage and human nature, and said: “Children at the school were not compelled to ‘accept an ideology they disagree with'”.
During the sermon in 2019, he then suggested students should debate and make up their own minds.
A week later his legal team says he was suspended and reported to the Government’s anti-terror watchdog.
A spokeswoman for Derbyshire Police said: “The force received a referral from Trent College in July 2019 – in relation to a member of staff.
“Following a review of the information it was found that it did not meet the threshold for a Prevent referral and no further action was taken and no case was recorded on the force system. The college was informed of this decision.
“Given the passage of time since the event we are unable to provide further clarity on email correspondence from the time due to the member of staff no longer working in the force.”
Reverend Randall appealed his dismissal, which was overturned by the school’s governors, and he was given a final warning.
It is claimed all his sermons then had to be approved before reading.
However the Christian Legal Centre says he was then made redundant on December 31 last year.
Speaking of being reported to Prevent without his knowledge, Reverend Randall said: “I was terrified. I did not sleep. What was I supposed to tell my family?
“Being reported as a potential terrorist, extremist and a danger to children are arguably the worst crimes you could be accused of.
“When I found out that they had reported me without telling me, my mind was blown trying to comprehend it. I had gone to such lengths in the sermon to stress that we must respect one another no matter what, even people we disagree with.
“I am not ashamed to say that I cried with relief when I was told that the report to Prevent was not going to be taken further.
“Yet I ended up being told that I had to support everybody else’s beliefs, no matter what, while my Christian beliefs, the Church of England’s beliefs, were blatantly censored.
“During the disciplinary hearing, I was never asked what I thought; they just assumed that I had extreme religious views. I don’t think the Church of England is an extremist organisation.”
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, added: “When an ordained Church of England minister can’t give a simple sermon in a Church of England school without being reported as an extremist and hounded out of his job then who is safe?
“For many years Bernard Randall has worked in education motivated by his love for God and others.”
Rev Randall is taking Trent College to an employment tribunal hearing which is expected to be heard at East Midlands Employment Tribunal from June 14, 2021, reports DerbyshireLive.
Trent College has been contacted for comment.
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