Youth pastor sues over wrongful termination, harassment

A youth pastor has sued the Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church over sexual harassment. She claims that the new pastor’s behavior was inappropriate, which forced her to resign.

The Aug. 8 news report discussed the formed associate pastor’s choice to leave the church following alleged sexual harassment. She’s suing for the harassment she went through as well as for being fired after she complained to the administrators of the church.

Hired in 2008, the woman worked as a youth minister. Several years later, she was promoted to “minister of missions and serving,” which is a position inside the church. In March 2017, a pastor from Texas was appointed as the church’s new head pastor. Later that month, the woman above and the new pastor took a trip to a conference being held in Irvine, California. He allegedly talked about allowing an older woman, a former parishioner, grab his butt. He was also allegedly flirtatious and made the woman uncomfortable on the bus ride.

At the conference, he allegedly called the woman sweetheart, baby and honey. Later, he compared his body to a Lamborghini that wouldn’t be kept in a garage. His unusual behavior supposedly continued with him asking the woman to dance with him in front of the congregation during his first sermon. He commented on her clothing, she complains in the lawsuit.

By May, the woman claims she had many negative interactions, so she filed a formal complaint. She received and apology from the man who she claims did nothing to correct his behavior. She was placed on administrative leave in August, then forced to resign days later.

You should never be fired as a result of complaining about how you’re treated by others on the job. It’s your boss’s job to make sure you are comfortable and don’t face harassment.

Source: San Diego Reader, “Youth pastor sues Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church over sexual harassment,” Dorian Hargrove, Aug. 08, 2017