OHIO: Diocese Of Columbus High School Fires Teacher After Learning She’s Gay From Her Mother’s Obituary

A Catholic school in Ohio has fired a teacher after an anonymous person sent the school a copy of the obituary for the teacher’s mother. The obituary mentioned the teacher’s same-sex partner.

When Carla Hale, 57, received her termination letter from Bishop Watterson Principal Marian Hutson, Hale said she was in, “total shock. Like your legs had just been cut out from under you.” The letter was from the Columbus Diocese and signed by Hutson. “I turned to the principal and I said, ‘Are we talking like immediately? Am I supposed to leave the building?’ And she just, she said, ‘Yes.’” That was March 28, and Hale hasn’t been back since. Hale is gay. And she said that is the reason the Columbus Diocese fired her, for what it said was a violation of moral law. An anonymous letter, along with Hale’s mother’s obituary, was sent to the Diocese in February. Hale’s same-sex partner was listed in the obit.

Over 11,000 people have signed an online petition for Hale to get her job back.