Teacher sacked over prayer offer for sick student

Olive Jones was told that she was 'bullying' the family

A Christian teacher lost her job after discussing her faith with a mother and her sick child and offering to pray
for them.

Olive Jones (54), who taught maths to children too ill to attend school, was dismissed following a complaint from the girl's mother.

She was visiting the home of the child when she spoke aboutu00a0 her belief in miracles and asked whetheru00a0 she could say a prayer, but when the mother indicated they were not believers she did not go ahead.

Jones was then called in by her managers who, she said, told her that sharing her faith with a child could be deemed to be bullying and informed her that her services were no longer required.
u00a0
After she was sacked, she was told the family had strongly objected to her approach and that a formal complaint had been lodged against her.

Since Jones worked only 12 hours a week and had no formal contract, her job with the North Somerset Tuition Service in Nailsea, near Bristol, ended with immediate effect.

Olive said she was made to feel "like a criminal".

"I told mother that there were people praying for them, and I asked the child if I could pray for her.u00a0

If I had known she was upset when I had first mentioned my testimony I would never have brought it up again," she added.