Times Have Changed, But Not Completely.

Plaintiff, a preschool teacher at a Bible-based Evangelical Lutheran Church school, was fired because she was living with her boyfriend and raising their child together.  She admitted she knew she was supposed to serve as a Christian role model.  The court found the church did not qualify as an employer under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (Gov.Code §12900 et seq.), the church was exempted under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act (42 U.S.C. §2000e et seq.) and her claim for wrongful termination in violation of public policy is barred by the ministerial exception.  Henry v. Red Hill Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tustin (Cal. App. Fourth Dist., Div. 3;  December 9, 2011) 201 Cal.App.4th 1041.