Catholic School Teachers and Contracts
Posted by: tony on 09/07/2007 05:22 PM
Updated by: tony on 09/07/2007 05:22 PM
|
Expires: 10/08/2007 12:00 AM
|
When you are a Catholic school teacher, you are expected to live your life in conformance with Catholic Church teaching. If you don't wish to do that, there are other opportunities for educating children which are less stringent.
When you are a Catholic school teacher, and you cause scandal by your behavior, sometimes things get ugly...
"We didn't think the marriage was going to cause trouble," said Tom Girsch. "But a few days after the ceremony, I got called to the office. When I walked in, (school officials) offered congratulations on my marriage and said they were happy for me. Then they asked if I ever got an annulment. I said I hadn't. Then they asked if I was aware that they could terminate me."
Church sees teachers as examples of faith
"We didn't think the marriage was going to cause trouble". This points out dramatically the abysmal catechesis which has been provided in the last 40 or so years. How can a Catholic not know that the church does not sanction divorce, and that getting a divorce and remarrying while still married to your prior spouse is committing adultery?
Catholic teachers generally have a "morals clause" in their contracts. They are an example of faith, and many times they teach more by the way they live their lives than they do by the way they present their classes.
The agreement, signed Sept. 7, 2006, specified that Tom would immediately seek an annulment through the Metropolitan Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. If the annulment wasn't granted, he would submit his resignation, which the school board could accept or reject.
Although many Catholics receive annulments, Girsch's request was denied. The annulment proceedings are secret.
I feel for this man, but Jesus Himself said: "A man who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery". He may actually have a secular case for breach of contract, a contract that should never have been offered. If so, I hope he wins. It might prompt the archbishop to deal with this particular "Catholic" school board so that this sort of thing doesn't happen in the future.
We're seeing a lot of teachers losing their jobs over the morals clause. Teachers pregnant out of wedlock, teachers having in-vitro fertilization treatments, and now for divorcing and re-marrying without an annulment.
I wish Mr. Girsch the best, but he shouldn't be teaching in a Catholic school (or receiving communion for that matter).
(H/T to Deacon Kandra for the link.)
|
