Posted on 03/03/2014 6:30:04 AM PST by marshmallow
More than 20,000 people from all over the United States have asked that the Catholic Diocese in Helena, Montana reverse their decision to fire an unmarried and pregnant middle school teacher.
The social justice group Faithful America and the teacher's friends, Susan Hawthorne and Margaret Rankin, delivered a petition with 22,000 signatures to Bishop George Leo Thomas of The Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena on Thursday.
The petition calls the decision to fire the pregnant teacher at Butte Central Elementary-Junior High School, Shaela Evenson, 'hypocritical.'
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
At least she didn't solve the problem by getting an abortion.
If this IS a Church school, the battle continues to rage ...
is it not right for me to do what I will with that which is mine ?
It appears if one searches for “Butte Central Elementary-Junior High School,”, you do get hits that it is a Catholic School: http://www.greatschools.org/montana/butte/933-Butte-Central-Catholic-Elementary-Junior-High-Schools/
I would think even Public School Teachers, being potential role models should be married if pregnant. She is being around the kids. I’m sure a lot of the signatures are likely leftists and this would be a way to get against the Church.
I’d like to see if the Signatories are against Abortion.
Nope, because “you didn’t build that!”
A search showed me that the school is actually called Butte Central Catholic Elementary-Junior High School, and is a coed, religious, and Catholic affiliated school.
When I was in a Catholic HS, a married teacher could be fired for being pregnant. I had a wonderful teacher who everyone knew was pregnant but since her husband was sick with cancer and wasn’t working, we were all told to keep it from Father Sullivan, the principal.
20,000 signatures is nothing. I could generate that on social media for nearly any controversial issue in 48 hours.
unless there was a code of ethics the teacher signed, the Catholic Church may be screwed, but if there IS a code the teacher agreed to ... tough shit, teach.
I stand with the Catholic Church on this one.
My thoughts on this…Let us remember that Mary was an unwed mother, BUT clearly this woman is not she.
First it would be important to know what was in the teacher’s contract as a condition for employment. If the contract stated that out of wedlock cohabitation ( the real issue here) and ensuing pregnancy was a condition subsequent to termination and she signed this then she will have a hard time making her case.
Second, the Catholic Church is not condemning the pregnancy or the child. It is condemning her continuing decision to shack up and procreate outside the sanctity of marriage. My hunch is that the church suggested she marry as a condition of continued employment and she refused. Again we must go back to what her contract says…If it said that she agreed not to have sexual relations outside of marriage and she signed it…then she knew what she was doing. The pregnancy isn’t the issue, her flaunting the church’s teaching on marriage is.
I would think the code the teacher agrees to would be the code and law of the Catholic Church.
Ohio had a case that to me seems similar, a teacher in a Catholic School, married and I believe with children put out pro-gay-marriage tweets and was terminated for that.
This is that story: http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/ohio-catholic-school-fires-teacher-who-plans-gay-marriage-diocese-wholehear
I have trouble with this firing. If she didn't flaunt the single situation, all she needs to say is "she chooses to teach using the same name" and go by Ms.
Firing someone for not getting an abortion and taking responsibility? It's not the ideal situation, but she didn't murder that baby when it was a risk to her job.
My error, this seems to be a different story but from Ohio, still a similar situation.
Here is the one I was looking for from Ohio as well and it was on facebook.
“A Catholic school administrator from Ohio was fired earlier this week after the Archdiocese of Cincinnati found that he was openly supporting same-sex marriage on his personal blog.
“My point was I wish I had time to care who married each other but I don’t,” Mike Moroski, a 34-year-old teaching veteran from Purcell Marian High School, told ABC News in an interview.
The Archdiocese of Cincinnati apparently sent a letter to teachers and parents explaining why they terminated Moroski’s employment, arguing that support for same-sex marriage stands in conflict with Roman Catholic Church doctrine, which teaches that homosexuality is a sin.
According to ABC, Moroski, who is married to a woman and identifies as a Catholic, stirred up debate on his Facebook page when he posted a quote from President Barack Obama’s inauguration speech supporting same-sex marriage.”
Also:
“Cincinatti.com revealed that as part of his job, Moroski was required to sign a contract every year where he pledged to “comply with and act consistently in accordance with the stated philosophy and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.”
As a Catholic and someone who went to 12 years of Catholic school... I am a bit on the fence on this case. On one hand, I fully understand the school wants to set a good example and pregnancy should result only after marriage. On the other hand, what is the message? If this woman wanted to keep her job, she could have had an abortion and never uttered a word thus enabling her to keep an income. My point is the message could be seen by the young girls of this school as eliminate the “issue” rather than accept God’s blessing. When my kid’s were Baptized, there were single Mothers in the Baptismal group. They weren’t singled out for a “out of wedlock” Baptism. Rather, they and their babies were welcomed.
I’ll tell you the reason WHY I am on the fence with this case. When I was a Freshman in high school, a Senior girl got pregnant via one of the Senior boys. She was thrown out of school while the boy got to remain his Senior year. The school did not want a pregnant, unwed, young Mother in the classes. There were several “secret” abortions over the next few years. From the gossip discussed, the girls didn’t want to be thrown out of school. So, they had a friend drive them to a Planned Parenthood clinic. Would they have had an abortion anyways? Maybe. However, being thrown out of school certainly added to the equation. I guess my point is this: being pro-life isn’t always cut and dry. Yes.. the school can teach that pregnancy should result from marriage; however, they should also promote that life is precious even if the baby is illegitimate. Just my thoughts....
It’s a shame she didn’t quit on her own and in disgrace. I hope the Church holds firm.
Who gives a rat’s ass about 20,000 signatures. When the Church or any other Church submits to God’s law by surveys or letter writing schemes, then God’s word is worthless.
Maybe she signed something like this:
“Cincinatti.com revealed that as part of his job, Moroski was required to sign a contract every year where he pledged to “comply with and act consistently in accordance with the stated philosophy and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.”
One would think this sort of contract would be common in Catholic and probably other Christian Schools.
Now where in the hell did you get this? Are you listening to Jessie Jackson? How dare you imply that she was unmarried. What the hell's the matter with you?
Let me clarify…Mary was unmarried at the time her pregnancy was revealed ( to Joseph) He considered ending his engagement to her which would have resulted in her being stoned to death as her pregnancy became obvious.
The reason I brought this up was to demonstrate that the Catholic Church does not condemn pregnant women as a condition of their pregnancy but out of a stubborn refusal on the part of the pregnant woman ( teacher in this case) to provide a home that includes two married parents.
Well stated.
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