SC Rules Teacher's Suspension For Premarital Pregnancy Illegal

A grade school teacher in Bohol was suspended from her job for getting pregnant out of wedlock, but justice prevailed in the end. The Supreme Court (SC) has ruled that her indefinite suspension by Bohol Wisdom School (BWS) was illegal.

In a decision penned by Associate Justice Ricardo R. Rosario, the SC made it clear: sexual relations between two consenting, unmarried adults are not considered immoral under the law.

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Teacher Illegally Suspended for Pregnancy Before Marriage

M. Mabao, a teacher at BWS, a Christian school, found herself in a difficult position when the principal, R. Deloso, verbally suspended her after she disclosed that she was two months pregnant.

Despite Mabao's plans to marry her then-boyfriend, Deloso insisted that the suspension would remain until the marriage took place. A few days later, she received a formal notice citing "immorality" as the reason for her indefinite, unpaid suspension.

Unyielding, Mabao filed a complaint against the school for illegal suspension. While the Labor Arbiter ruled that Mabao had been constructively dismissed, the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) reversed the decision.

The case reached the Court of Appeals (CA), which concluded that the teacher's actions were not immoral, noting that she did not engage in relations with a married man, nor was she married at the time. As a result, the CA ordered the school to pay Mabao all the salaries and benefits she had been deprived of during her suspension and to issue a certificate of employment.

Supreme Court's Affirmation of Secular Morality

In its final ruling, the SC sided with the CA. It held that Mabao's pregnancy did not constitute immorality as defined by law. The decision underscored that public and secular morality—not religious standards—governs legal matters.

It stated, "In the eyes of the law, there is a standard of morality that binds all who come before it, which is public and secular, not religious."

Moreover, the SC explained that public and secular morality refers to actions deemed harmful to society, not behaviors judged through religious beliefs. The Court clarified that using religious morality to shape public policy would impose a religious agenda, violating constitutional principles.

The Court pointed out that Mabao's premarital pregnancy did not violate any laws or state policies. Citing previous rulings, it stated that premarital sexual relations leading to pregnancy are not considered immoral, especially in light of modern social norms. Thus, her suspension had no valid legal basis.

The SC also highlighted procedural lapses by BWS. According to meeting records, the school's administrative team had already decided to suspend Mabao before hearing her side, clearly violating her right to due process.

The SC ordered BWS to pay Mabao back wages from September 23 to October 7, 2016, as well as her 13th-month pay, rice and laundry allowances, and midyear bonus. The Court also mandated the issuance of a Certificate of Employment and awarded attorney's fees equivalent to 10% of the total monetary award.

This decision serves as a reminder that secular and public standards—not religious doctrines—govern morality in legal matters. It also protects employees, especially women, from discriminatory workplace policies based on outdated or biased moral standards.

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