Unmarried Catholic school teacher, fired after pregnancy, will pursue legal action [CC]

[josie_L]

The school is not required in any way, shape or form to allow scandal in their hallways because one woman couldn’t keep her legs shut.

Actions have consequences. That’s life. This woman needs to do some serious growing up.

There had to have been a better way you could have said this, i.e., although I do not agree with the lawsuit, we cannot judge her so crassly!

 

[sousley]

I agree. But couldn’t there have been another alternative? Maybe recommend she take a leave of absence until the baby is born- allowing her to at least keep her health insurance and a job when she returns?

They essentially took a pregnant woman and an unborn baby and cast them both out of the house.

I don’t know the answer to that. I’ve read several articles pertaining to this story but none have included whether there was any type of severance, etc. offered by the school. Her well-being and that of her child are certainly important considerations; I don’t mean to imply anything to the contrary.

 

[josie_L]

But then we’re saying sin is acceptable as long as we don’t talk about it.

She couldn’t hide being pregnant forever. I tried to keep my mouth shut to my employer about being pregnant because I knew it would just make my work life more difficult. The small problem of maternity leave was going to come up sooner or later, though, and I have been punished daily for my “choices” ever since that conversation.

Maybe that’s why I feel emotionally vested in this topic. While I am married I am being treated badly for the inconvenience I am causing others by being pregnant. Perhaps I feel a kindred spirit with this woman.

I feel kind of sorry for her too (don’t know her circumstances as such), but I still disagree with the lawsuit (I don’t know if there can be another alternative besides firing her, i.e., should they keep her despite the contract she signed???).

 

[Burt_Macklin]

But when you fill out tax paperwork for the job you will need to report if you are married. The school will know and therefore know if you are married or unmarried.

Some things just can’t be kept secret forever.

Whether you want to be taxed as single or at the lower married rate is your business.

 

[seaton2005]

Yes, scandal in the Church, carries a very specific meaning, outside of the term scandal used in the media. Scandal is an action (sin or the appearance of sin) which leads others to sin. CCC 2284. Go and read the section, it quotes the Bibles passage about leading the little ones astray…

I do not know which grade level this teacher taught at, but either elementary or secondary has its dangers of scandal to the students (the little ones) that she teaches, and like I said the school has a moral obligation to its students above any obligation to the teacher, especially since she broke her contract.

Are you saying that the school couldn’t fire her if she got “married” to a same sex partner or passed out condoms to her students? That would also be breaking the morality clause on her contract. The other poster was right, if you don’t want to live like a Catholic, don’t work for Catholic institutions.

That’s exactly what I am saying. It really none of the Church’s business if she is married or not. I’m sorry, but I just don’t see this through your lens at all. It’s horrible to just fire a teacher for being pregnant. It lacks compassion, and is un-becoming of a Catholic School/dioceses to do so. I also find it interesting that you in essence, make the argument that “it has dangers of bringing scandal to the students - the little ones.” I am most sure you know that the Church’s moral authority on the matter of little ones is somewhat questionable at this time after what we have learned in recent years. Let’s worry about the big things and not the little things at this time. For example, I woke up this morning and the headline in one major national newspaper was “UN Panel Assails Vatican over Sexual Abuse.” The story does not put Church leaders in the best light.

 

[Lochias]

There had to have been a better way you could have said this, i.e., although I do not agree with the lawsuit, we cannot judge her so crassly!

Hey, truth is truth. I’m judging her actions. We are, in fact, allowed to do that.

She screwed up. She can take the resulting consequences like an adult, or she can do what she’s chosen to do instead.

 

[Lochias]

That’s exactly what I am saying. It really none of the Church’s business if she is married or not. I’m sorry, but I just don’t see this through your lens at all. It’s horrible to just fire a teacher for being pregnant. It lacks compassion, and is un-becoming of a Catholic School/dioceses to do so. I also find it interesting that you in essence, make the argument that “it has dangers of bringing scandal to the students - the little ones.” I am most sure you know that the Church’s moral authority on the matter of little ones is somewhat questionable at this time after what we have learned in recent years. Let’s worry about the big things and not the little things at this time. For example, I woke up this morning and the headline in one major national newspaper was “UN Panel Assails Vatican over Sexual Abuse.” The story does not put Church leaders in the best light.

She was fired ***BECAUSE SHE BROKE HER CONTRACT. ***

No-one forced her to sign that contract at gunpoint. She made her bed, now she can lie in it.

 

[Lormar]

Or, y’know, bad on her for not controlling herself in the first place. Or, even barring that, bad on her for thinking that the contract she signed means absolutely squat.

I’m glad she chose life, too, but that doesn’t make what she’s doing now not wrong.

 

[Lochias]

Surely, whoever the father of the child is will help…unless that, too, was a poor choice.

 

[Lormar]

She was fired ***BECAUSE SHE BROKE HER CONTRACT. ***

No-one forced her to sign that contract at gunpoint. She made her bed, now she can lie in it.

Speaking of putting things in their best light, those who have integrity usually honor commitments and signed contracts. Things like that.

 

[PhiloMed]

She was fired ***BECAUSE SHE BROKE HER CONTRACT. ***

No-one forced her to sign that contract at gunpoint. She made her bed, now she can lie in it.

And again, is that the Christian thing to do? To fire a pregnant woman?

As I said in an earlier post, it might be completely legal for them to do this. Is it the moral and Christlike thing to do is another question.

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

It would also set the precedent that homosexual staff members who get married while employed by a Catholic school could not be fired. It would indeed be a very dangerous precedent. There are contract clauses that cannot be enforced, but not being able to enforce this one, would completely invalidate religious freedom and defeat the purpose of religious schools.

I’m not sure it would.

From article:

“A Catholic school teacher enters into an agreement not only with the district but with parents and teachers … to follow a lifestyle in line with Catholic teachings,” said Dan Bartleson, spokesman for the Diocese of Helena

Entering into a gay marriage would be a clear example of how not “to follow a lifestyle in line with Catholic teachings”.

Being pregnant without being married isn’t as clear of an example.

Is she cohabitating? Or was it a one time thing? Committing a mortal sin and repenting of the mortal sin through confession is following a lifestyle in line with Catholic teaching.

Everyone sins. She committed a sin. It isn’t the same as living in lifestyle against Catholic teaching.

 

[Burt_Macklin]

And again, is that the Christian thing to do? To fire a pregnant woman?

As I said in an earlier post, it might be completely legal for them to do this. Is it the moral and Christlike thing to do is another question.

The school is a business, not a charity. If someone is going to hurt their “brand” then they can get rid of them. That is the whole reason they put the morality clause in their employment contract to begin with.

 

[jilly4ski]

That’s exactly what I am saying. It really none of the Church’s business if she is married or not. I’m sorry, but I just don’t see this through your lens at all. It’s horrible to just fire a teacher for being pregnant. It lacks compassion, and is un-becoming of a Catholic School/dioceses to do so. I also find it interesting that you in essence, make the argument that “it has dangers of bringing scandal to the students - the little ones.” I am most sure you know that the Church’s moral authority on the matter of little ones is somewhat questionable at this time after what we have learned in recent years. Let’s worry about the big things and not the little things at this time. For example, I woke up this morning and the headline in one major national newspaper was “UN Panel Assails Vatican over Sexual Abuse.” The story does not put Church leaders in the best light.

The Church still has the moral authority to teach morals and right from wrong, and bringing up what you did really cuts your credibility is discussing this topic with reason and logic rather than emotions and feelings.

So if the teacher was embezzling from the school, but happened to be pregnant would that too be horrible when they fired her. Or maybe something more innocuous, maybe she was showing up late and leaving early semi regularly (that too would be breaking her contract, or spending class time on facebook instead of teaching, and she just happened to be pregnant. Is it still horrible and lacking justice? Just because you don’t like the clauses in the contract doesn’t mean the clauses are wrong.

There is a saying in law. “Hard cases make bad law.” This is one of those cases, this one pulls at your heartstrings because she is pregnant and we are pro-life, etc. But making a ruling that the school can’t fire her, or shouldn’t have fired her based on her individual case would create bad law. Both on the civil side (the law suit) and on schools/Church side.

 

[Lochias]

And again, is that the Christian thing to do? To fire a pregnant woman?

To prevent a woman’s scandalous activity from causing spiritual confusion and harm in others? Yes, that is the Christian thing to do. Being Christian to others doesn’t always mean patting them on the head and giving them a cookie.

As I said in an earlier post, it might be completely legal for them to do this. Is it the moral and Christlike thing to do is another question.

Only for those with an axe to grind.

 

[CarolNoel]

The school is completely justified. If you don’t want to live a Catholic lifestyle, then don’t work in a Catholic school system. Its so simple.

I second this. She knew the rules. She knew this was a Catholic school.

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

The Church still has the moral authority to teach morals and right from wrong, and bringing up what you did really cuts your credibility is discussing this topic with reason and logic rather than emotions and feelings.

So if the teacher was embezzling from the school, but happened to be pregnant would that too be horrible when they fired her. Or maybe something more innocuous, maybe she was showing up late and leaving early semi regularly (that too would be breaking her contract, or spending class time on facebook instead of teaching, and she just happened to be pregnant. Is it still horrible and lacking justice? Just because you don’t like the clauses in the contract doesn’t mean the clauses are wrong.

There is a saying in law. “Hard cases make bad law.” This is one of those cases, this one pulls at your heartstrings because she is pregnant and we are pro-life, etc. But making a ruling that the school can’t fire her, or shouldn’t have fired her based on her individual case would create bad law. Both on the civil side (the law suit) and on schools/Church side.

Her contract said she must agree “to follow a lifestyle in line with Catholic teachings”.

Does being pregnant without being married necessarily prove she broke the contract?

She committed a sin, yes. The term lifestyle seems to me to indicate embracing a way of life that clearly goes against Catholic teaching.

Is one act of fornication proof of lack of following “a lifestyle in line with Catholic teachings”.

Even is she made a good confession, and is living chastely now?

Couldn’t those be mitigating factors?

I don’t see it as being equal to gay marriage at all…even contractually.

In a scenario of Gay marriage the lack of following a lifestyle in line with Catholic teachings is blatant.

 

[seaton2005]

And again, is that the Christian thing to do? To fire a pregnant woman?

As I said in an earlier post, it might be completely legal for them to do this. Is it the moral and Christlike thing to do is another question.

Point well made! Bravo! That seems to have lost in this post and the Catholic School in question.

 

[PhiloMed]

To prevent a woman’s scandalous activity from causing spiritual confusion and harm in others? Yes, that is the Christian thing to do. Being Christian to others doesn’t always mean patting them on the head and giving them a cookie.
.

Then I guess she should have been much smarter and just had an abortion. This way it wouldn’t have been a problem and she could still be seen as a “good Catholic” but the school.

 

[Aslan10]

Something tells me this girl needs someone to love her and forgive her. Someone to stand in front of her to protect from all those shouting at her. Someone that understands human weakness and knows how to save her. I think those that are accusing need to take a step back. Maybe grace is more important than punishing someone for a mistake (it is a mistake). The shame is probably punishment enough. Now its time love her and help raise the baby.

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”