REBECCA Ireland is not a typical victim of prejudice. Everything about her seems mainstream. In her Sunbury home yesterday, as her in-laws helped in the garden, Mrs Ireland was ''living the suburban dream'' with husband, Peter, three kids, two dogs and a station wagon.

But back in 2004, the 31-year-old was an outsider. Before Rebecca and Peter married, she fell pregnant. It was unplanned, but welcomed. The problem was that Mrs Ireland taught at a Catholic primary school that disapproved of unmarried and single mothers.

Former Catholic primary school teacher Rebecca Ireland, with son Sebastian and daughters Rhyanna and Dana. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

The school indicated to Mrs Ireland, then known as Miss Harman to her students, that her contract would not be renewed. Facing the loss of maternity leave rights, Mrs Ireland took the case to the Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. In mediation, the school backed down after the teacher signed an agreement not to promote her ''chosen lifestyle'' to the students.

This is an example of the largely unseen discrimination that will be allowed to continue under last week's decision by Attorney-General Rob Hulls to grant religious organisations the right to continue to reject employees on the grounds of sex, sexuality, marital and parental status and gender identity. Mrs Ireland, a dedicated teacher who holds religious values, believes this simply is not good enough.