³ÉÈËXÕ¾

MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Catholic school teacher loses job because of her alleged sexual orientation

May 8, 2024, 7:09 AM | Updated: 8:10 am

catholic teacher...

Exterior of St. Luke's Catholic School in Shoreline (Photo courtesy of ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ 7)

(Photo courtesy of ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ 7)

A group of parents at St. Luke’s Catholic School in Shoreline are preparing to fly rainbow flags Tuesday in protest of the school not renewing the contract of a “beloved” teacher.

The kindergarten teacher was informed via email that she will not be allowed to return to teach at St. Luke’s Catholic School next year. She claimed it was due to her sexual orientation, but plans to appeal the decision.

More Shoreline news: Shoreline gas station owner angry after burglary suspect drives away while cops on the scene

“Father Brad (Hagelin) recently informed me that he will not be offering me a job at Saint Luke next year,” the teacher wrote in an email to her students’ parents and guardians. “The news has been extremely difficult for me. I am a faithful practicing Catholic and I was ready to spend the next 30 years of my career at St. Luke.”

When she emailed the parents regarding the school’s decision, she did not give a reason for her dismissal. But, according to , when describing her meeting with Father Brad to several others in person, she said it was because she is openly gay.

“The priest said, ‘We are not renewing your contract because you are going on record as being gay by marrying your partner. It is public record,'” Whitney Hicks, a parent of a student at St. Luke’s Catholic School, told ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ 7, relaying the teacher’s message.

“And you disagree with that?” ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ 7’s Briseida Holguin asked.

“Yes, with all my heart and soul,” Hicks answered.

In addition to flying rainbow flags, parents and other supporters of the dismissed teacher plan to hand out stickers and pins in support.

More local protests: Boeing firefighters hit the picket line for livable wages

“The reality is that we live in a tension,” Archbishop Paul Etienne said in a statement regarding the situation. “After more than a year of study in 2020-2021, the covenant taskforce concluded that there is no clear consensus for how to apply the covenant clause. (See .) Some people may place a greater emphasis on our moral teachings, while others may place greater emphasis on our social teachings. Both applications are legitimate, and yet, each is incomplete. Therein lies the expression of our human experience – we are incomplete.

“Because there isn’t a single defined answer, we must dialog like Jesus did,” the statement continued. “This is why the application of our covenant clause is handled at the local level to allow for this dialog and discussion to provide a deeper understanding of our teachings and expectations.”

Contributing:

Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.

MyNorthwest News

Lewis County non-sanctuary...

Jason Sutich

Lewis County declares itself a ‘non-sanctuary’ county after unanimous vote

Lewis County commissioners declare the region a non-sanctuary city following a unanimous vote at the courthouse in Chehalis.

3 hours ago

7-eleven free slurpee...

Jason Sutich

7-Eleven celebrates birthday with free Slurpees on 7/11

Join 7-Eleven's 98th birthday celebration by enjoying free Slurpees. Don't miss this tasty offer available on 7/11!

5 hours ago

walmart...

Associated Press

Walmart recalls 850,000 water bottles after 2 consumers suffer vision loss from ejecting lids

Walmart recalls 850,000 water bottles after reports of lid ejections causing serious injuries, including vision loss in consumers.

5 hours ago

Bellevue water main break...

Jason Sutich

Water main break closes Eastbound SE Newport Way in Bellevue

Bellevue Fire Department reported multiple road closures in Bellevue due to a water main break. Stay updated for more information.

6 hours ago

power outage south seattle...

³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Newsradio Newsdesk

Power outage hits more than 1,200 in South Seattle’s Skyway neighborhood

Early Friday morning, the South Seattle Skyway neighborhood suffered a power outage affecting more than 1,200 people.

6 hours ago

T-Mobile...

Frank Sumrall

DOJ approves T-Mobile’s $4.4 billion acquisition of U.S. Cellular

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has cleared T-Mobile's $4.4 billion acquisition of U.S. Cellular, closing its investigation into the merger.

6 hours ago

Catholic school teacher loses job because of her alleged sexual orientation