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| Carla Hale |
(Scroll down for video) A Catholic school is facing a lot of criticism from the public after it fired a teacher because she told everyone that she is gay.
The diocese in Ohio, is under siege, receiving numerous telephone threats and heated online criticism, after their veteran teacher is out of a job due to publicly disclosing a lesbian relationship in violation of the moral code of the Catholic school.
The news of the firing has sparked a fervent debate on tolerance both online and in the community of Columbus, Ohio, where the incident took place.
Physical education teacher, Carla Hale, 57, was fired last month after her name appeared in the obituary of her mother, which also noted Hale’s lesbian girlfriend.
Hale was summoned to a meeting with school administrators after returning from the funeral of her mother.
At the meeting, she received a copy of the obituary of her mother that she and her brother had written. In addition, administrators gave Hale an anonymous letter from a parent saying that the presence of a lesbian teacher in a Catholic school is unacceptable.
Hale was subsequently dismissed from Catholic Bishop Watterson High School, after 19 years of service with the school citing a moral disposition in the contract between the teachers and the diocese.
In the days after the dismissal, the event has received wide attention in social media. A petition for the reinstatement of the teacher on a popular social media website has received more than 55,000 signatures, so far.
The school district, even asked for a police investigation after receiving threatening phone calls.
Hale also filed a complaint to seek reinstatement, but it was rejected. She also said she would file a discrimination complaint with the department of community relations of Columbus.
“I cannot understand why this woman is angry. She clearly doesn't belong anywhere close to a church. If she loves teaching, she can apply for a job in public school where she will be given a job. She does not need to force herself into the Catholic school,” Laurie Walz, 21, of Columbus, Ohio told YourJewishNews.com after learning about the firing.
However, not everyone agreed with Walz.
“The Church needs to show sensitivity to all types of people. If someone decides to be gay then it is their own personal private matter, and the church should not punish the children who need a good teacher,” Vicki Kingston, 54, of Cincinnati, Ohio told YourJewishNews.com.
In a statement released last week, the diocese said the personal matters are confidential, but school employees must adhere to the moral code of the church.
"A staff member who decides to publicly embrace relationships or principles that are contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church cannot remain in the service of the Church," the statement said.Mobile video not loading? Click here to view