A Human Rights Commission Board of Inquiry will reconvene this morning at St.

Theresa's Church Hall to continue hearing a preliminary inquiry into the alleged unfair dismissal of Tanisha Smith.

Ms Smith, a single mother, was dismissed from the Wee Learn Nursery after she became pregnant.

The Wee Learn Nursery is run by the First Baptist Church on Middle Road in Devonshire. It is the Baptist Ministry's day care and emphasises teaching the word of God.

At the time of Ms Smith's dismissal there was no policy in place which said teachers and assistants must follow "Christ honouring principles'', said Director of Wee Land Nursery, Pauline Bissell.

But she added: "The programme is bound by Christian principles and children that attend the nursery who are not of the Baptist faith are welcomed but must understand that teachings are from the Bible.'' She added that the nursery tried to employ Christian teachers.

"Teachers are told at the beginning that they are Christian representatives to the community and should therefore lead an appropriate life.'' Ms Bissell said: "We expect a high standard of our teachers.'' She argued that it was not necessary to ask employees about their personal lives if they said they followed the Christian faith.

When it became clear that Ms. Smith was pregnant, the problem was taken to the Wee Learn Nursery Committee and the Church Deacons who offered two recommendations -- terminating Ms Smith's contract and drawing up a policy for the nursery on the matter.

Both were acted upon, resulting in the dismissal of Ms Smith and the introduction of a policy which stated single mother pregnancies had no place at the nursery.

Ms Smith was not the first teacher at the nursery to become pregnant while out of wedlock, it emerged yesterday.

But Ms. Bissell said the other woman was remorseful and took steps to rectify the situation by asking forgiveness of God.

She was also married in the same week as her child was born.

CHURCH CHU