A federal appeals court has ruled a Catholic school in North Carolina had the right to fire a gay teacher who announced a decade ago that he was going to marry his longtime partner.

A Catholic school in North Carolina had the right to fire a gay teacher who announced his marriage on social media a decade ago, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday, reversing a judge’s earlier decision.

A panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, reversed a 2021 ruling that Charlotte Catholic High School and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte had violated Lonnie Billard’s federal employment protections against sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The school said Billard wasn’t invited back as a substitute teacher because of his “advocacy in favor of a position that is opposed to what the church teaches about marriage,” a court document said.

    • Dozzi92@lemmy.world
      6·
      2 months ago

      This ain’t just Christian though, it’s Catholic. I know some non-denominational, or even Methodist Churches that would be totally cool with it, but Catholics run a harder line, at least where I’m from.

      I think the school should have the right to fire him. I also think it (and any other religious school or land use) doesn’t deserve tax money or tax exempt status.

    • stoly@lemmy.world
      41·
      2 months ago

      People deserve to have a religion that brings them comfort. But I do get your point.

        • nixcamic@lemmy.world
          21·
          2 months ago

          To a lot of people religion is a fundamental part of who they are, on par with or often even greater than their sexuality. Giving that up is just not an option.

            • nixcamic@lemmy.world
              23·
              2 months ago

              I mean you could say the same about cultural identity or sexuality. You’d be wrong all three times.

                • nixcamic@lemmy.world
                  2·
                  2 months ago

                  I mean nothing is 100% like something else, I included sexuality as a comparison to how fundamental it is to people, it’s obviously not a complete analogue in every way 🙄

                  And culture is not just “following traditions” lol it’s your worldview, how your process information and so much more.