Catholic School Teacher Fired After Same-Sex Marriage ~by Legal Pub

Teachers rarely choose education as a means to money.  Generally speaking, they are overworked and under paid.  Nevertheless, teachers sign contracts like everyone else, they make choices as to where they wish to work.  When one chooses to work for a private Catholic school, one does so under the agreement that their rules will be followed.  Families at St. Peter and Paul Catholic School in Miami, Florida, are disappointed after the firing of teacher Jocelyn Morffi.  Morffi was a 32 year-old teacher who was well liked by both students and parents. For example, Jocelyn Morffi was instrumental in setting up a volunteer program at the local homeless shelter.  Parents and students volunteered both time and talent.

While on personal leave from school, Jocelyn got married to another woman.  When the Catholic school found out about the same sex marriage from social media photos, they terminated Morffi's employment contract. (Same sex marriage being contrary to Catholicism, the School felt it had no option other than to terminate Morffi's employment.  Jocelyn wrote on her social media account:  “This weekend I married the love of my life and unfortunately I was terminated from my job as a result. In their eyes, I’m not the right kind of Catholic for my choice in partner.”

The law recognizes that Catholic schools have a right to enter contractual agreements consistent with their beliefs.  According to the Catholic school board,  Morffi violated her contract and thus had to be terminated.  Fortunately for Morffi, the public school system has no such rules.