Tuesday, September 1, 2015

A twist in the latest Catholic school purges

Well, another month, more purges of Roman Catholic school teachers.  There was the married lesbian in Philadelphia who had worked for 8 years (married the whole time, to the knowledge of her school) but fired when a disgruntled parent reported her to the Archbishop.   The usual outcome;  the teacher was fired, there is bad press for the school, some parents and children are angry, the principal wrings her hands and says "we had no choice".

The in Portland, Oregon, St Mary's Academy found out that their new hire is lesbian and although not married, might some day like to marry as we often do.  They rescinded her contract and offered her six month's salary as hush money which she did not take.  It hits the press. Predictable outrage ensues.  Except, Portland being Portland, a lot of the students, alumni, and particularly big donors are pro-LGBT rights.

Interestingly the school reversed itself, and its Board unanimously put sexual orientation into its non-discrimination policy.   The position in question has been filled but they have reached out to the would-be employee.

"Conversations" with the Archdiocese are ongoing, but both the school and the Archdiocese warn that the school may lose its Catholic association over this.

Well well well.  This is one of the first Catholic schools to stand up to the purge of married LGBT people (and note, this would-be employee wasn't even married yet!)  although some of the colleges have accepted same sex marrieds (e.g., Fordham, Notre Dame).   We'll have to see what happens to St Mary's Academy.  And all this in the context of an impending visit from Pope Francis to the US.


2 comments:

Erp said...

I don't think St. Mary's Academy is financially dependent in any way on the Diocese nor does its board seem to contain anyone appointed by the diocese. I think the only real threat the bishop can wield is to strip if of its Catholic affiliation.

JCF said...

"I think the only real threat the bishop can wield is to strip if of its Catholic affiliation."

It's the basic Irony of Reformation*: "it became necessary to lose [Roman] Catholic affiliation, in order to remain catholic (in a "God loves ALL, w/o exceptions even for partnered gays" sense).

[* Good reformation, that is! Not all "Reformed" churches necessarily qualify. ;-/]