Teacher

Authorities at a Catholic High School in Iowa acknowledge that they determined not to hire a qualified applicant who had been a substitute teacher at the school simply because he was open about his sexual orientation on social media. The teacher claims that he had been offered a full-time teaching position after successfully serving as a substitute teacher at the school for more than six months, but that the school officials rescinded the offer when they found out that he is gay.

Assessing Threats to Religious Rights

Catholic school refuses to hire teacher who is open about being gay. If you or someone you know is feeling a threat to religious liberties, consider questions such as the following to assess the source and the degree of the threat:

1. I see my religious liberty to be at risk because: (a) I am forbidden to attend a worship service I choose; (b) Others are allowed to attend worship service they choose.

2. I believe that my religious liberty is threatened because: (a) I am not allowed to marry someone, although my church supports us; (b) Not all states enforce my religious marriage views on same-sex partners.

These and similar questions are raised in the wake of religious liberty laws in Arkansas, Indiana and elsewhere. There are those who blur distinctions between religious freedoms and civil rights. One the one hand, religious freedom includes liberty to attend church services, to believe and talk openly about religious beliefs, and to follow the dictates of one’s own conscience in the way that one worships. On the other hand, civil rights that extend to one couple who wish to marry must also extend to every couple that wishes to be married.

An Extension of the Church

Pointing out that “Catholic schools are an extension of the church, and are committed to following the church’s teachings and doctrine,” the superintendent of the Iowa school noted that it requires applicants to sign contracts that contain specific language detailing the conduct to be expected of the new teacher “in accord with long accepted Church teaching.”

Social Media Outpouring of Support

While his openness on social media may have originally drawn the attention of superiors at the school that apparently led to the decision to refuse to hire him, the teacher found legions of support online following the loss of the job prospect at the school. Thousands of followers have joined a support page on Facebook, overwhelming him with love and appreciation for his efforts and strength during his challenging time. Since he talked about his case with the media, school officials have asked him not to return to the school as a substitute teacher. He is working on finding a new position, with applications going out to many other schools, in his search for full-time teaching work.

Posting His Prayer

The teacher, who identifies as a Lutheran, posted a reminder to social media friends that light is possible, and that it can penetrate even “where there is darkness.”

“Where there is hatred,” he posted, “let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair in life, let me bring hope.” Many thousands of spiritual and religious people around the world see, in the teacher who is struggling with discrimination and intolerance, the hope of working toward a future of tolerance and love.

Finding Connections

Sadly, there are many people in society who continue to rely on their views of religious traditions to justify intolerance and exclusion. Many more individuals see such events, like the teacher who is a good employee as long as he is in the closet, but is let go if he talks openly about himself online, as an indication of old ways that must change.

Tolerance is arriving in laws and developing acceptance in broader society, but individuals and institutions can be slow to change. A change of heart of the person who feels intolerance is required for them to see life with an open and accepting perspective, truly appreciating all individuals as children of the same universe.