Pregnant Mother Pressured by Church to Get Married or Get Fired: Va. News

As a family prepares for a child due in April, the mother was fired earlier this week from her daycare job at a church because she refuses to marry her fiancé, according to CBS6.

Expecting mother Apryl Kellam, already with children from previous marriages, has held her daycare position at the Staples Mill Road Baptist Church since September. According to FOX 2 News, Kellam said that her supervisor had been telling her since October that she has to get married to her fiancé, James Coalson.

Despite a glowing review that Kellam claims she received from her supervisor last week, the mother is at risk for losing her job just four months shy of giving birth.

Kellam claims that she received a phone call from a member of the church saying that she had to at least announce a wedding date by last week, FOX reports.

The consequence? Termination from her job.

Pastor James Booth of the church said that each employee must sign and follow the personnel handbook with a moral code of conduct which references biblical beliefs.

Kellam claims that the church was aware that she had a child out-of-wedlock and living with her fiancé when she was hired around four months ago, AOL reports. Although she claims that she never received or signed the handbook, Kellam was suspended on Friday when she showed up for work and received the call that she was fired on Monday.

Booth tells FOX that he is bound by confidentiality laws and can not discuss the personal matter. The church stands by the decision and says that it does not discriminate against unwed mothers.

“We have a number of single women who are employed here and serve well,” Booth told CBS 6. “We have a number of single moms who serve well.”

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