Catholic school fires gay teacher, drawing protest

[hue]

Source: seattlepi

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Administrators at a Roman Catholic high school suffered a sharp and swift backlash this week after firing a well-liked teacher who sought to marry his same-sex partner.

Educators said they had no choice, but thousands have protested the move through Facebook groups and petitions demanding that Michael Griffin be rehired at Holy Ghost Preparatory School. Some alumni have pledged to withhold financial support.

Caught in the middle are people who say Griffin should have known he was jeopardizing his job by publicizing his plan to wed, as well as those worry the negative publicity is unfairly labeling the Bensalem school as intolerant...

...The case started last week when Griffin informed the principal, via email, that he would be late to a staff meeting because he was getting a marriage license. Griffin and his partner live in Mount Laurel, N.J., a state where gay marriage is legal.

Same-sex unions are not sanctioned under church teachings, which Griffin was required to uphold as a condition of his employment. School officials say they respected Griffin's private life until his email forced the issue.

Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/news/us/article/Catholic-school-fires-gay-teacher-drawing-protest-5061781.php

[Swede Atlanta]

1. This is one time when I understand and can empathize with the school.....

but we don't have all the details.

I would suggest the school consider the recent statements of Pope Francis regarding his right to judge with respect to gay persons, including priests. The pope has also stated repeatedly that he believes the church must be about much more than abortion and fighting gay rights and gay marriage.

If this teacher was indeed well respected, conducted himself with decorum, was effective and did not use his position to "push" an acceptance of homosexual behavior (recall that the official Catholic position is "hate the sin" but "love the sinner&quot , the dismissal is very questionable.

My only question for Mr. Griffin would be what did you expect when you went to work for a religious school when the official position of the religious affiliation was that homosexuality itself was sin and that homosexual behavior was an abomination?

Even as an openly gay man that would have been a question in my own mind. There is no evidence Mr. Griffin took the job because it was the only job available or that he set out on a mission to change things.

I am hopeful that the strong support will be recognized and that the school will reconsider. I suspect the most likely determination will be if the school is going to lose wealthy benefactors. Despite the Pope's admonishments about trickle down economics and wealth, this school undoubtedly loves its financial position.

[PRETZEL]

4. One of the things that I believe was confusing to Mr. Griffin

was the fact that the school was totally aware of Mr. Griffin being gay and to whom he was with. They attended many school functions together so the relationship was not secret.

Even without Mr. Griffin letting the administration know beforehand of his plans to marry, I would tend to believe once they found out after the fact, he would have been let go.

I don't believe the school was ready and willing to set this precedent.

edit for typing

[cer7711]

2. And There You Have It: The real-world consequences of the same old intolerant doctrines

Last edited Sat Dec 14, 2013, 11:12 PM - Edit history (11)

dressed up in smiley-face garb. This foolish man thought he could preach antiquated creeds and exclusionary doctrines in school (and perhaps his parish church) and not have that very same retrograde authoritarianism bite him in the ass when he went to marry the person he loved?


Make no mistake about it: The Roman Catholic Church is still very much an ultra-conservative, top-down, authoritarian institution that teaches, among other things, that (1) masturbation is an "intrinsically disordered practice", (2) sex within marriage is "morally disordered when sought for itself" and that (3) a homosexual, lesbian, transgendered or bisexual "lifestyle" and/or orientation is "objectively disordered".

Recent Roman Missal changes re-instituting antiquated, awkward phraseology in the mass underline the fact that, in some respects, the church has taken a step or two back from the liberalizing reforms of Vatican II.

Pope Francis and the Jesuits are the future of an incrementally-liberalizing church, to be sure, but that change will come at a glacial pace--with many two-steps-forward, one-step-backward moments marking this venerable institution's passage into the 21st century.

In the meantime, what does sound doctrine and current Catholic teaching on "homosexuality" have to say to the "objectively disordered" individual who won't thrust his non-condom-covered c--k into matrimonial c--t on command? They are instructed to practice the virtues of "self-mastery" and find chastely "inner freedom" by servilely seeking the support of so-called friends, grace and the sacraments of the church. And of course, frequent (presumably self-hating) prayer is advised with a straight (pun very much intended) face.

[Trillo]

3. "publicizing his plan to wed"?

A wedding is an announcement to others. That's one fact about them.

[uppityperson]

5. "the negative publicity is unfairly labeling the Bensalem school as intolerant"? Because firing

someone for legally marrying is....tolerant?

And how did he "publicize his plan to wed"? By sending an email to the principal that he'd be later? ARGH

ETA, and the school would tolerate them living together in that wild gay life but not if they got legally married? ARGH

[okaawhatever]

6. I believe a friend of Mr. Griffin's posted this here last week. Would love update from DU poster. nt

[DreamSmoker]

7. Devorce and Adulty also fall under the same set of Laws established by Moses..

Funny how Jesus speaks about these in the New Testament...
But nothing said about being Gay...

I see a Church that pics and chooses what it feels from the Bible for an Agenda..

[nomorenomore08]

8. At least people are sticking up for the guy (and his fiance).

Every poll I've seen indicates that Catholics favor marriage equality at a higher rate than Americans as a whole, so the support isn't all that surprising.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

9. Well we all know

this is what Jesus would do............