The teacher was allegedly let go due to her sexual orientation. (Stock Image/Getty)
An openly gay teacher at a Catholic school in Washington is allegedly not allowed to return to her role after marrying her partner.
The anonymous kindergarten teacher was allegedly informed via email that she could not return to teach at St, Luke’s Catholic School in Shoreline, Washington.
The teacher claimed that the decision to be let go from the role was due to her sexual orientation. The teacher explained to parents in person that Father Brad Hagelin became aware that she would soon be marrying her partner – which would make the teacher “go on record as being gay”, alleged Whitney Hicks, a parent of a student at the school, to local outlet KIRO 7 News Seattle.
Hicks alleged: “The priest said, ‘We are not renewing your contract because you are going on record as being gay by marrying your partner. It is public record.’”
The outlet host Briseida Holguin asked the parent, “And you disagree with that?”, to which she responded: “Yes, with all my heart and soul.”
However, the teacher’s email to her student’s parents and guardians did not explicitly state the reason for her lack of contract renewal.
It simply read: “Father Brad (Hagelin) recently informed me that he will not be offering me a job at Saint Luke next year. The news has been extremely difficult for me. I am a faithful practicing Catholic and I was ready to spend the next 30 years of my career at St. Luke.”
Parents from the school flew rainbow flags on 7 May in protest of the school not renewing her contract, as per local outlet MyNorthwest. Parents and other LGBTQ+ supporters also handed out stickers and pins to raise awareness of the queer community.
Archbishop Paul Etienne said in a statement regarding the decision: “Some people may place a greater emphasis on our moral teachings, while others may place greater emphasis on our social teachings. Both applications are legitimate, and yet, each is incomplete. Therein lies the expression of our human experience – we are incomplete.”
PinkNews has contacted a representative of St. Luke’s Catholic School for a comment on the matter.