Posted on 04/24/2013 7:34:41 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
COLUMBUS, OH, April 22, 2013 (LifeSiteNews) – The firing of a teacher at Bishop Watterson Catholic High School after it was learned she was involved in a long-term homosexual relationship may pit the Catholic diocese against a Columbus city ordinance barring employers from discriminating based on sexuality.
Gym instructor Carla Hale, 57, was fired last week after an anonymous parent wrote the Diocese of Columbus to complain because in an obituary for Hale’s mother, Hale was listed as a survivor alongside her longtime lesbian partner, Julie.
Hale signed a morality clause as part of her contract, affirming that “Catholic school personnel are expected to be examples of moral behavior and professionalism,” and acknowledging her employment could be terminated for “immorality” or “serious unethical conduct.” Because the Roman Catholic Church holds homosexual behavior to be gravely immoral, the Diocese of Columbus found her to be in violation of her contract, and fired her.
Now, Hale wants her job back. She has filed a grievance with the teachers’ union, and her lawyer, Thomas Tootle, told the Columbus Dispatch that if Hale’s union grievance does not succeed, her next step will be to sue under the city’s anti-discrimination law.
That means the diocesan officials who fired Hale may soon face legal action from the city of Columbus, fines, and possibly even jail time.
Columbus city law deems it a misdemeanor for an employer to discriminate against an employee based on sexual preference. It is also illegal for employers to have policies that discriminate based on sexual preference. There is no exemption for religious organizations or other employers who object to homosexuality on religious grounds. A guilty verdict carries penalties of up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
The Diocese of Columbus refused to comment on the case, citing the confidentiality of personnel matters.
Hale’s is the latest in a series of firings of Catholic school teachers who have publicly opposed Church teaching on homosexuality. Another Ohio Catholic high school teacher, Mike Moroski of Cincinnati, was let go in February after posting on his blog that he supports same-sex “marriage.” Rather than fight the diocese, Morski launched a political career. Al Fischer, an openly homosexual music teacher in St. Louis, was fired from a Catholic school and church last year after announcing he was traveling to New York to “marry” his same-sex partner.
Although none of those cases resulted in legal action, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in January that religious employees of religious organizations cannot sue for employment discrimination. The Court defined “religious employees” as “employees of religious organizations who have religious teaching authority.” Catholic school teachers seem likely to fall under this category, especially those who sign morality clauses promising to uphold the faith.
As of this writing, more than 40,000 people have signed an online petition demanding the Diocese of Columbus reinstate Hale’s employment and issue a public apology.
Perhaps she should seek a position at an Islamic school.
It is pagan/Satanic morality. It is a return to the occult-—and rituals of those that worship Lucifer (and mock God’s Design). There is nothing “secular’ about it. It is as ancient as any civilization-—and they weren’t “godless”. Saudis are sodomites as Shoebat just said on Michael Savage show....they go after boys. That is why homosexuals don’t blast muslims-—they have boys in common.
And Just Laws are all “moral” since “Justice” is a Virtue, so Just Law has to promote Virtue (morality).
St. Thomas A. said that if Laws don’t promote “Justice”-—they cease to be “Law”. Much of John Locke’s/Blackstone’s/Marshall’s understanding of Justice and Law comes from St. Thomas Aquinas which is embedded in our Constitution.
That is why our “Justice” system is corrupted and perverted which is destroying culture as Cicero stated “unjust” laws would do.....We have arbitrary—unjust laws, which according to John Marshall would be “Null and Void” in a sane universe. Laws have to contain Right Reason-—and homosexuality is not only unnatural-—it is irrational—proven scientifically.
We have a lawless culture-—where anything becomes “Good” as long as there is an “urge” to do it.
You would hope this is a big joke but the leftist degenerates are not kidding, you will have NO rights when they are finished
In Texas it is best to give no reason for a firing
Don’t have to legislate anything. Church as right to its beliefs
Will they arrest the Pope?
I think so. I’m a PA. resident and my gym teacher was a lesbian. Her last name was Lafemme, believe it or not.
First...Where is our petition? Like minded people off the moral persuasion will bury the gay one.
Second....If we’re forced to live with rulings by this piece of crap court, even the homos have to play along. They will never stop until we all agree that buggery is normal and in no way immoral. Don’t see that happening, no matter how hard they force it on us.
Exactly. This is why they sign this contract ahead of time. :)
Seriously, I grew up with them in my school too.
I personally believe the state needs to stay out of employer contracts provided they do not cause physical harm or enslave an individual. The state has already gotten far too involved for the sake of good intentions. I’m sorry but I have little pity for someone who chooses to be employed by an organization they know they are incompatible with. It would be like me getting a job with PETA, Greenpeace, or some far left group and then getting upset when they get rid of me when they find out that I’m a right winger opposed to them.
The left routinely eject students out of college programs for being Christian/conservatives something that is not a private religious organization but a public state funded institution and they seem perfectly ok with that.
So this is the part of the country where people are still reasonably free.
“Modern Secular morality”
Im afraid there is no morality there at all.
Let the Catholic Church threaten to close all its schools in the Cleveland Diocese that are affected by this silly law. Let the city/counties have to pay to educate those thousands of extra kids. They are already receiving tax funds from their parents for not using the public schools’ services. See what is left of the middle class tax base dry up as those families move to an area where they don’t have to send hteir kids to public school. See the gays not make up the difference.
It’s nice to know what you think about a clause neither of us has seen
All legislation is an expression of morality codified in statute.
Nice to know what you think about what I think.
Isn’t life nice?
“Let the Catholic Church threaten to close all its schools in the Cleveland Diocese that are affected by this silly law. Let the city/counties have to pay to educate those thousands of extra kids. They are already receiving tax funds from their parents for not using the public schools’ services. See what is left of the middle class tax base dry up as those families move to an area where they don’t have to send hteir kids to public school. See the gays not make up the difference.”
Believe me, the state will be more than happy to oblige. They did it here in NJ, basically eliminating Catholic schools in many areas through prohibitive taxes for the public school systems. The teachers’ unions want them gone, and Caesar does their bidding. Taxpayers are fleeing the state, but the Catholic school system is finished. The state has done the same to Catholic hospitals in NJ, requiring them to treat everyone (including illegals) while constantly reducing the reimbursement paid for such services until the hospitals close.
Nothing pleases the state more than shutting down a competitor that shows how wasteful, inefficient, and unproductive the state is.
“...when ‘tis folly to be wise”
RE: Ohio doesn’t recognize such “marriages” and neither do 40 other states.
Let’s say Ohio finally DOES recognize such “marriages” (God forbid)... would this Catholic school then be FORCED BY LAW to accept this teacher and her lifestyle?
Isn’t this unconstitutional?
We have to ask this question now because I see marriage being slowly redefined as one by one the moral dominoes begin to fall...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.