A Florida teacher is suing the private school that fired her for having premarital sex.
Jarretta Hamilton, a former fourth-grade teacher, appeared on the "Today" show Monday to talk about her lawsuit against Southland Christian School in St. Cloud, Fla.
Hamilton was fired in 2009 after going to school officials to ask for maternity leave. Hamilton, who is married, was asked by school officials about the date she conceived. When she explained that it was three weeks before her marriage to her husband, school officials decided to fire her. Hamilton, they argue, broke school policy to "maintain and communicate the values and purpose of [Southland Christian School]."
Hamilton is suing the school in federal court and is seeking "compensation for the loss of the job, and she's seeking compensatory damages for emotional distress," according to the Orlando Sentinal.
Recounting her story to Ann Curry, Hamilton and her husband explained that what bothered them the most was that school officials told colleagues and parents of students that Hamilton was fired for fornicating.
A letter from Southland Christian obtained by NBC News says that
"Jarretta was asked not to return because of a moral issue that was disregarded, namely fornication, sex outside of marriage."
The school asks that Hamilton drop her case and "consider the testimony of the Lord."
WATCH: Hamilton's interview on "Today"
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