Curate claims religious college ‘threw her out’ (From Oxford Mail)

Curate claims religious college ‘threw her out’

6:00pm Tuesday 22nd January 2013 in Oxford

A CURATE is suing a religious college in Oxfordshire after it allegedly threw her out, an employment tribunal heard.

Dr Sandra Reyes-Beaman also claims a Church of England bishop denied her a job because she was disabled and foreign, the tribunal was told.

The 51-year-old alleges she was evicted by Ripon College Cuddesdon, the largest ministry training institution in the Church of England.

She also claimed to have been turned down for a post by the Bishop of Leicester.

Giving evidence at a tribunal in Reading, Dr Reyes-Beaman, originally from Mexico, said her background and medical needs – including a benign brain tumour – had led to her being denied a role as a curate near her home.

Dr Reyes-Beaman said the college threw her out and is suing it on grounds of racial and disability discrimination.

Before starting her course at Ripon College Cuddesdon in September 2009, Dr Reyes-Beaman said she asked about the prospect of changing to another college to be nearer to her husband, Peter, who looks after her.

She claimed Reverend Sue Fields, Diocesan Director of Ordinands, told her to think “whether with my disability I should ever be trained for ordained ministry because it was very expensive.”

The employment tribunal is listed to last for 14 days.