Quick Hit:

Enoch Burke, an Irish teacher who gained international attention for refusing to use transgender pronouns, has been jailed for a third time after allegedly violating a court order by appearing at his former school. Burke, a devout Christian, claims the court's actions violate his religious liberties.

Key Details:

• Enoch Burke, an Irish teacher, has been jailed again after returning to Wilson’s Hospital School despite a court order prohibiting his presence.
• Burke was initially suspended in 2022 for refusing to use transgender pronouns, leading to a legal battle that has seen him spend over 400 days in jail.
• The teacher claims the court order infringes upon his religious beliefs, while the school argues his actions pose a security risk.

Diving Deeper:

Enoch Burke, an Irish teacher who gained international attention for his refusal to use transgender pronouns, has been jailed for a third time after allegedly defying a court order by appearing at his former school. Burke, a devout Christian, was previously suspended from Wilson’s Hospital School in County Westmeath in 2022 for refusing to use “they” pronouns for a student who identified as transgender. Following his suspension, the school obtained a court injunction barring Burke from entering the premises or teaching while his suspension was in effect.

Despite his dismissal from the school in early 2023, Burke has appealed the decision and remains a paid member of the staff while the appeal is ongoing. He argues that the court orders preventing his return to the school are a violation of his religious freedoms. Burke was arrested once more after attempting to return to the school as the new semester began, prompting Mr. Justice Michael Quinn to sentence him to Mountjoy Prison for contempt of court. The judge set a further hearing for October 11th, stating that Burke could be released if he “purges his contempt,” essentially admitting to wrongdoing.

Burke, however, has remained steadfast in his position, reportedly telling the judge that he would have to “answer before God” for imprisoning someone over their religious beliefs. Burke contends that he had been instructed by the school's former principal to “force transgenderism on students,” a mandate he could not comply with due to his Christian convictions.

The school has labeled Burke’s attempts to return as a security threat, suggesting that supporters of Burke might attempt to join him in breaching the school's grounds. In light of these concerns, the school has considered hiring private security.

Burke has criticized the Irish judiciary, accusing it of failing to address the fundamental issue at the heart of his case—the imposition of transgender ideology on those with religious convictions. Citing the Book of Genesis, Burke has argued that the binary nature of men and women is a cornerstone of Christian faith.

During this week’s court proceedings, members of Burke’s family urged the judge to review the original report justifying his suspension, accusing the judge of avoiding the facts of the case. Burke himself reiterated his commitment to his beliefs, stating that while he may be imprisoned, “the truth can be trampled into the ground but it’ll rise up again.” He has also declared that he would rather remain in jail "every hour of every day for the next 100 years" than betray his faith, vowing to "only obey God."