Catholic school teacher fired for marriage

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Petite said:
This is always a sticky situation with Catholic schools. I used to teach in Catholic school many years ago. In the first school I taught in, a very popular football coach and his girlfriend were found to be expecting. I believe they got married, and he was allowed to keep his job. In another school I taught in, the principal (a nun–in full habit, FYI), hired a teacher whom she later learned was a fallen- away Catholic married to a divorced man. Had she known this at the time, I doubt she would have hired the teacher, but after the fact, the principal felt that she couldn’t let her go. 🤷

In my kids’ elementary school, one of the unmarried teachers became pregnant. The principal (a lay woman) insisted on her resignation immediately.

I know of one teacher I taught with was going through a divorce. She resigned her position because she knew that it would be very problematic if she wanted to date again. At this same school, there was a teacher who divorced, and she knew that unless she had that marriage annulled, she would never date as long as she was at this school. That was some 20 years ago–she’s still there–and single.

Perhaps it was not made clear enough that IF you violate the Church in a public way (i.e., marrying a divorcée, for example), then you forfeit your job. No ifs ands or buts!

It’s a tough call! It will be interesting to see what the courts do with this one!
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I don’t know if I would fire a teacher who gets pregnant. Given the Church’s strong outspokeness on pro-life issues-- it sort of seems to me here they are employing a double standard. Such a move might discourage her from desiring to have her child when there is a stigma attached to her pregnancy. I think in this case- the Church should not be so judgmental, but rather council her and work with her, especially since she might become a single mother.

It is one thing when the teacher- as in the example of this post is an arrogant you know what that only cares about what she “feels” is right, quite another in this instance- assuming this particular teacher would not be arrogant, etc.
 
Apologist78 said:
I don’t know if I would fire a teacher who gets pregnant. Given the Church’s strong outspokeness on pro-life issues-- it sort of seems to me here they are employing a double standard. Such a move might discourage her from desiring to have her child when there is a stigma attached to her pregnancy. I think in this case- the Church should not be so judgmental, but rather council her and work with her, especially since she might become a single mother.

It is one thing when the teacher- as in the example of this post is an arrogant you know what that only cares about what she “feels” is right, quite another in this instance- assuming this particular teacher would not be arrogant, etc.
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I believe this past year or year before a teacher at a Catholic school was fired because she was not married and became pregnant.
 
josephdavid said:
I believe this past year or year before a teacher at a Catholic school was fired because she was not married and became pregnant.
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Yes, and my point here is that pro-life is more important in this case then the moral norms which she violated. She looses her job, how does she provide for her child? The Catholic Church rightly is pro-family, and pro-life- so though people make mistakes, at the same time they must be supportive of single mothers who keep their children. They fire the teacher— at that point- especially if she has no prospect of a job-- what is to stop her from having an abortion?

I think in these cases are different from the one in this thread, and I think the Church should be more understanding. People do make mistakes. In the case this thread cites- the teacher is clearly arrogant and self-centered. She deserves exactely what she gets. I think in offering to work with her through an annullment process, etc the Church is reaching out a helping hand— acknowling her desires, yet at the same time trying to uphold God’s law. She choose not to take that helping hand.

If the Chuch is less judgmental and finger pointing when people sin, and more helpful and forgiving I think it does a lot for itself in terms of evangelization.
 
SwizzleStick said:
upi.com/Top_News/2008/12/30/Catholic_school_teacher_fired_for_marriage/UPI-96771230668764/
The article doesn’t indicate if LaFortune is Catholic or not. Even so, I think doing something directly opposed to Catholic teachings should clearly be avoided by a teacher working in a Catholic school or said teacher could suffer consequences. I think most companies require employees to abide by “morality clauses” and I think this is akin to that. Other opinions?

SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 30 (UPI) – A teacher at a Roman Catholic school in San Antonio fired after she married a divorced man has filed a federal discrimination complaint.

The principal of Central Catholic High School urged Marquis LaFortune, 25, a week before her wedding in November to resign or to have her husband-to-be seek an annulment of his first marriage, options she turned down. She told the San Antonio Express-News that the firing took some of the joy out of the preparations for the marriage.

“I would have resigned if I’d felt like I’d done something wrong,” she said. “I couldn’t get out of bed. It’s just been this cloud. It was supposed to be the best week of my life, and I had to pull myself together for the ceremony.”

Under Catholic teaching, divorced persons cannot remarry.

LaFortune has filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

School officials learned of her fiance’s marital status from an article in The Pep, the school’s newspaper. She helped manage the paper.

“In addition to gaining a new last name, Ms. LaFortune will also be inheriting a beautiful stepdaughter,” the article said.
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Yes…teachers in Catholic schools must live the life. Teachers must always set a good example. That’s part of the calling.
 
Apologist78 said:
So where did she recieve her “JCD?” Rome? Catholic University of America? Some other highly respected and accredited instiution or school of theology?

If she knows this then she is a highly trained and experience Canon Lawyer.
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You don’t need a degree in canon law to know that if for example a person left his/her spouse for no other reason that the spouse was no longer physically attractive that there would be no annullment forthcoming.
 
Apologist78 said:
Yes, and my point here is that pro-life is more important in this case then the moral norms which she violated. She looses her job, how does she provide for her child? The Catholic Church rightly is pro-family, and pro-life- so though people make mistakes, at the same time they must be supportive of single mothers who keep their children. They fire the teacher— at that point- especially if she has no prospect of a job-- what is to stop her from having an abortion?

I think in these cases are different from the one in this thread, and I think the Church should be more understanding. People do make mistakes. In the case this thread cites- the teacher is clearly arrogant and self-centered. She deserves exactely what she gets. I think in offering to work with her through an annullment process, etc the Church is reaching out a helping hand— acknowling her desires, yet at the same time trying to uphold God’s law. She choose not to take that helping hand.

If the Chuch is less judgmental and finger pointing when people sin, and more helpful and forgiving I think it does a lot for itself in terms of evangelization.
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The teacher that was fired in the above mentioned case was fired because she brought the baby into school and made her marital status an issue with her students. She had been told not to make an issue of the situation in the classroom.
 
KathleenElsie said:
The teacher that was fired in the above mentioned case was fired because she brought the baby into school and made her marital status an issue with her students. She had been told not to make an issue of the situation in the classroom.
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Why did she bring the baby to school?
 
Marsha_Adams said:
You don’t need a degree in canon law to know that if for example a person left his/her spouse for no other reason that the spouse was no longer physically attractive that there would be no annullment forthcoming.
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Actually, that would be a possible hint towards simulation on the part of the one who left. If the leaver never intended a marriage that binds until death (or strictly speaking specifically excluded it), the marriage was never valid unless it was convalidated later.
 
This whole matter would not be an issue if Catholic schools were still staffed by nuns.
 
Marsha_Adams said:
This whole matter would not be an issue if Catholic schools were still staffed by nuns.
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Well, I am sorry to say that a lot of nuns I have seen are not the kind of people I would like teaching anyone about Catholicism. Those liberal minded “nuns” who run around in plain clothes instead of a habit are hardly a good example for those learning about the faith.

Sadly, that leaves us with very few nuns in the United States who would be fit to teach. I wish that we had enough good nuns to staff the schools. Perhaps we should pray for more vocations.
 
Apologist78 said:
If the Chuch is less judgmental and finger pointing when people sin, and more helpful and forgiving I think it does a lot for itself in terms of evangelization.
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I think that it should be kept in mind that forgiveness is just one side of the matter. Repentance is also necessary. And that is really what is missing in most of these cases - repentance.
 
Apologist78 said:
Then encourage more vocations to the religious life. BUt make sure they have no liberal agenda before you do.
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Actually, God is already taking care of that. The more liberal the orderthese days the fewer vocations it is getting.
 
SwizzleStick said:
“In addition to gaining a new last name, Ms. LaFortune will also be inheriting a beautiful stepdaughter,” the article said.
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This caught my eye. She is not “inheriting” a step-daughter. Children are neither pets, nor property, first of all.

Secondly, since we have been told that a Declaration of Nullity is required in this case, we know, then, that the child’s mother is still alive. The child will most likely be dividing her time somewhat equally between her mother’s home and her father’s home, until she reaches the age of majority.

This woman is not now, and will never be, that child’s mother. She can be her friend, but the child already has a mother.
 
The teacher’s legal basis for a lawsuit would probably rest on whether or not she did sign a “Catholic clause” as part of her contract. Some places have them, but some do not.

Of course, we are all sinners and we cannot expect our Catholic school teachers to be sinless, but there is a difference between a person who sins and seeks forgiveness than one whose very marital status causes her to be in a state of separation from the Catholic Church. She can’t just go to Confession and undo it.

Yes, it is her private life, but we all know that these things get around (and as one previous poster pointed out, she herself put it out there that she was marrying a man with a kid). These things are noticed by high school kids and they do cause scandal.
 
Joe_5859 said:
The teacher’s legal basis for a lawsuit would probably rest on whether or not she did sign a “Catholic clause” as part of her contract. Some places have them, but some do not.

Of course, we are all sinners and we cannot expect our Catholic school teachers to be sinless, but there is a difference between a person who sins and seeks forgiveness than one whose very marital status causes her to be in a state of separation from the Catholic Church. She can’t just go to Confession and undo it.

Yes, it is her private life, but we all know that these things get around (and as one previous poster pointed out, she herself put it out there that she was marrying a man with a kid). These things are noticed by high school kids and they do cause scandal.
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If it was just that she was marrying a man with a child (as was publically stated) then I would not assume he was previously married (the child, afterall, could have just been the offspring of a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, as many are).

Secondly, just out of curiosity, doe not attending mass on Holy Days of Obligation also constitute the firing of staff since most students, especially in high school, know where their teachers live (or at least the general neighborhood) and thus can know which parish they attend mass? If the students do not see the teacher(s) attend mass on a Holy Day of Obligation at the teacher’s parish, isn’t that too a public sin and must be corrected or result in firing?
 
jmcrae said:
This caught my eye. She is not “inheriting” a step-daughter. Children are neither pets, nor property, first of all. …
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I agree. That line caught my eye too and I had a similar reaction to it.
 
gmarie21 said:
If it was just that she was marrying a man with a child (as was publically stated) then I would not assume he was previously married (the child, afterall, could have just been the offspring of a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, as many are).

Secondly, just out of curiosity, doe not attending mass on Holy Days of Obligation also constitute the firing of staff since most students, especially in high school, know where their teachers live (or at least the general neighborhood) and thus can know which parish they attend mass? If the students do not see the teacher(s) attend mass on a Holy Day of Obligation at the teacher’s parish, isn’t that too a public sin and must be corrected or result in firing?
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All Catholic schools should have Mass on Holy Days of Obligation, so it shouldn’t be an issue. 😉

I see your point about how the kid could have been from a non-marital relationship.

Still, I’m not sure the situation is comparable to missing Mass on a Holy Day of Obligation. Missing Mass is a one time thing, not a state of life. Also, it seems that there could be many reasons why the teacher might not have been at their parish for Mass (illness, travel, went to a different parish because of the Mass time, car broke down on the way to Church, etc.).

Again, it all depends on what the teacher’s contract looks like. I am of the opinion that Catholic School teachers should be practicing Catholics in good standing and that this should be part of their teaching contract. Some think that’s not necessary. Others think that it’s necessary for Religion teachers, but that’s all.

But I guess it really doesn’t matter what I think for this teacher. It matters what her diocese and school think.
 
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