Rev. Bernard Randall, a chaplain dismissed by Trent College in 2019, has reached a confidential settlement with the school following an unfair dismissal case. The case stemmed from a sermon Randall delivered to pupils aged 11 to 17, in which he stated that students did not have to accept "LGBT stuff."
An employment tribunal had previously heard that Randall opposed aspects of a school program designed to enhance LGBT inclusivity, developed by the charity Educate and Celebrate. Randall argued that certain elements of the program were incompatible with Christian values, describing them as "Marxist, revolutionary, atheist" and containing "ideologically loaded and misleading" terminology. He specifically raised concerns about phrases such as "sex assigned at birth" and "cisgender," asserting that the program moved beyond neutrality into "identity politics."
The sermon was delivered after a student questioned him about accepting LGBT ideology in a Christian school. While Randall stated his sermon reflected the Church of England's teachings on marriage, it led to complaints from pupils, parents, and staff who found the remarks distressing. Following the sermon, Randall was removed from his post and reported to the government's Prevent counter-terrorism watchdog.
Although Randall's initial dismissal was overturned on appeal and he received a final warning, Trent College later proposed reducing his chaplaincy role to seven hours per term. Randall did not accept these reduced hours, which led to his redundancy. He subsequently pursued an unfair dismissal claim. A court document indicated Trent College was ordered to pay Randall approximately £20,000 in costs. The case was further complicated by a planned new tribunal to examine potential bias in the panel's initial ruling. The advocacy group Christian Concern confirmed that a confidential settlement has now been reached, concluding the legal proceedings.