A Catholic school in North Carolina is legally allowed to fire a gay teacher who announced his marriage to another man on social media 10 years ago, according to a federal appeals court ruling, overriding a judge’s previous ruling. The judgment was reversed.
A panel of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, ruled Wednesday that Charlotte Catholic High School and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte violated teacher Ronnie Billard’s federal employment protections against sex discrimination under Title VII. The 2021 ruling was rescinded. civil rights law.
The school said it did not bring Villard back as a substitute teacher because he “advocated a position contrary to what the Church teaches about marriage,” according to court documents.
U.S. District Judge Max Cogburn ruled that Villard, who worked full-time as a teacher for 10 years until 2012, was a layperson for the limited purpose of teaching secular classes. . The judge said a trial was needed to determine the appropriate relief for him.
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A Catholic school in North Carolina was legally allowed to fire a gay teacher who announced on social media a decade ago that he was marrying another man, according to a federal appeals court ruling. (Media News Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)
A 2020 Supreme Court decision also ruled that Title VII protects workers who are fired for being gay or transgender.
However, Circuit Court Judge Pamela Harris said in a ruling Wednesday that Villard was under “the seventh law the court adopted from the First Amendment that protects religious institutions in the treatment of employees who perform tasks central to their religious mission.” He stated that this falls under the “ministerial exception” in the “Ministerial Exception.” Even if the assignment itself did not advertise its religious nature. ”
Mr. Villard, who taught English primarily as a substitute after returning from retirement as a drama teacher at Charlotte Catholic High School, was exempt from this exception because Charlotte Catholic High School expected teachers to incorporate faith throughout the curriculum. That’s the case, Harris wrote, adding that the school is clearly looking forward to Villard’s guidance. His readiness to teach religion when necessary speaks to his role in the school’s religious mission.
“This record makes clear that (Charlotte Catholic Church) considered it ‘essential’ to its religious mission that teachers bring a Catholic perspective not only to the Bible but also to Shakespeare. ” Harris wrote. “This court has previously recognized that seemingly secular tasks, such as teaching English or drama, may implicate the ministerial exception because they take on religious significance.”
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Circuit Judge Pamela Harris wrote in Wednesday’s ruling that Ronnie Villard falls under the “ministerial exception” to Title VII. (Reuters/Axel Schmidt)
Ms. Villard began working at Charlotte Catholic in 2001, a year after she met her now-husband. He announced his decision to marry shortly after same-sex marriage was legalized in North Carolina in 2014, and filed a lawsuit seeking dissolution of the marriage in 2017.
The American Civil Liberties Union and the Charlotte law firm that helped Mr. Villard file his lawsuit said Wednesday’s ruling means that “all he wants is the freedom to fulfill his duties as an educator without hiding who he is or who he loves.” “This was a heartbreaking decision for our client.” . ”
The joint statement said the ruling could violate the rights of LGBTQ+ workers by “widening the loophole for employers to fire people like Mr. Villard on blatantly discriminatory grounds.”
An attorney for a group defending the Diocese of Charlotte hailed the ruling as “a victory for people of all faiths who cherish the freedom to pass on their faith to the next generation.”
Ronnie Villard announced his decision to get married shortly after same-sex marriage was legalized in North Carolina in 2014. (St. Petersburg)
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“The Supreme Court has been very clear on this issue: Catholic schools have the freedom to choose teachers who fully support Catholic education,” said Luke Goodrich of the Beckett Fund for Religious Freedom. Ta.
Attorneys general from about 20 Democratic-leaning states and lawyers for Christian denominations, schools and other groups filed briefs in the case.
Circuit Judge Paul Niemeyer agreed with Harris’ opinion, while Circuit Judge Robert King wrote a separate opinion agreeing with the reversal but questioning the application of ministerial immunity. Instead, King wrote that Charlotte Catholic falls under a separate Title VII exemption for employee termination for religious educational institutions.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
