A teacher from the Houston area worked for the same school for close to two decades before she was abruptly fired after posting a photo on Facebook. Kristi Maris had always wanted to attend a drag show and finally had the chance at the Hamburger Mary's location in Houston on July 13. When her employer, First Baptist Academy in Baytown, Texas, found out about her evening out, the school decided to part ways with the teacher and a coworker who also attended the show.
Maris posted about her alleged firing on Facebook on July 24. She claimed she did nothing wrong and encouraged those who disagreed with her to unfollow her. The former teacher has no plans to back down. She told ABC 13 that even though she won't be teaching in the near future, she will be back at Hamburger Mary's.
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Maris attended the show with a coworker and her daughters.
Maris explained to ABC 13 that she had always wanted to go to Hamburger Mary's and finally had the chance on July 13. She and her friends had a great time at the show, and she posted images and videos on Facebook. Maris thought nothing of it, but plenty of people disapproved, and the images got back to First Baptist Academy. Before she knew it, she and her coworker were contacted by the school and fired.
The teacher clapped back at the haters on Facebook.
On her July 24 Facebook post, Maris wrote that after she posted about her evening out at Hamburger Mary's, some who knew her got upset.
"Hey everybody just wanting to let everyone know what has been going on in my life!" she wrote. "As of today I was fired from my Job of 20 years for attending a sing along show at Hamburger Mary's. Before ever getting the news of my termination it had spread like wildfire in the church and school. They told me because I went to this show and posted a picture I wasn't walking in a Godly manner, so that being said please remove yourself from my page if this offends you, if you think this is UnGodly, makes me a pedaphile, or causes you to feel uncomfortable."
But Maris wasn't finished. She was sure to include a mic drop moment. "Take your screenshots of my post and send them around in your group chats but when you do at least at me to the chat!"
The school claimed Maris disobeyed the code of conduct.
According to ABC 13, First Baptist Academy's senior pastor said Maris violated one line in the handbook: "I will act in a godly and moral fashion at work, on Facebook and in my community."
Maris concurred that she agreed to follow the code, but she didn't feel like she violated any rules.
"They're entertainers. I would've never thought in a million years that this would happen. Never. We were in disbelief. We still are. We were heartbroken. We had relationships with parents and the kids, and I didn't even get to say goodbye to a lot of the kids," she said.
Maris is devoted to her faith.
The physical education teacher was not only dedicated to her students, she lives her life as a devout Christian. But right now, she doesn't feel that the school where she once taught is really practicing what they preach.
"For almost 20 years, I've taught children to love each other. I've talked to them and told them, 'You have to get along. God loves us all equally.' And that's the way we should be," Maris told ABC 13. "We should love everybody, and that's what we've been teaching, but they're expecting us not to do that."
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Despite some critics, Maris has received a lot of support.
Her Facebook post announcing her firing garnered a lot of attention, with family and friends rallying around her.
"The gossip fest isn't exactly walking in a Godly manner either," someone noted. "I think there is something in the Bible about that too. That's insane Kristi. I'm so very sorry that has happened to you both. You are a gem."
"Oh, Kristi!" a friend commented. "I hate this. I'm so sorry. I really love Jesus, but I have a real problem with people playing church. I have dealt with similar things with a district and it's so disappointing. Prayers that you find a place where you fit and are FREE! I wish people remembered to leave the judging to Jesus …."
"I love you to pieces!" wrote another supporter. "You're one of my favorite people. I'd follow you anywhere even into early retirement! But seriously, we are in this together and I think we were on a sinking ship so it was better to get off now!!"
Maris told ABC 13 she couldn't wait to go back to the drag show. "Oh yeah, I'll do it again," she laughed. "It was too much fun, and it was good music!"
