The administration of Holy Ghost Prep, a Catholic high school in the Philadelphia suburbs, knew that foreign language teacher Michael Griffin lived with his same-sex partner. Even though teachers’ contracts include a clause about following the teachings of the Catholic Church, it’s not uncommon for schools to look the other way so long as the teacher’s dissent is relatively private.
But then, after marriage was redefined by courts in New Jersey, Griffin told the headmaster that he and his partner were going to get a marriage license. Whereas his partnership had been reasonably private, marriage is a distinctly public act. More specifically, a same-sex marriage is a public act that directly and brazenly undermines Catholic teaching—and this was unacceptable for a teacher in a Catholic school. And so Griffin was fired.
The vengeful response from LGBT advocates boiled down to this: No school (or any institution for that matter) should be permitted to be organized around values different from their own. There can be no dissent from LGBT movement orthodoxy. As Equal Employment Opportunity Commission member Chai Feldblum, an Obama appointee, put it: When sexual and religious liberty conflict, “I’m having a hard time coming up with any case in which religious liberty should win.”
This is the same position held by sponsor* of Senate Bill 974, Sen. Daylin Leach of Montgomery County. In fact, Leach sees SB 974 (and its predecessor, SB 300) as the way to put that idea into law. When asked about Holy Ghost Prep, Leach said that such employment decisions would be illegal if this bill were enacted.
There’s nothing fair about forcing religious schools to abandon the values that make them distinctive. Please contact your representative and senator and tell them that the “Fairness Act”—HB 1510 and SB 974—would make Pennsylvania less free, less tolerant, and less fair.
KEEP PA FAIR – Oppose the so-called “Fairness” Act
Take Action: tinyurl.com/standfortruefairness
*Update: When first published it incorrectly listed Sen. Daylin Leach as “prime sponsor” of this legislation. He is a sponsor of SB 974.
Religious Liberty has been part of the Constitution since our founding—the LGBT movement was made by 5 justices in black robes (when 2 of them should have recused themselves)—it is not in the Constitution. Religious Liberty should NOT be taking a second place to the decision of “five”.
Review the Fairness Act (HB 1510 and SB 974) This is outrageous but what would follow was clear for anyone with half a brain to figure out. It has not taken long for the minority to be emboldened and with this administration to get their way. It must stop.
No Fairness Act in PA! This bill regarding religious schools is foolish and is another example of a clear agenda to remove religious freedom in the state and the nation. This is a sad situation for people of faith.
If we used the familiar Kim Davis argument, “He should just step down if his beliefs don’t agree with his position of employment”… it would be completely rejected. Ironic.
Ironic and very hypocritical! And this hypocrisy is everywhere today!
Sue under the state constitution.
Religious Freedom
Section 3.
All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences; no man can of right be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship or to maintain any ministry against his consent; no human authority can, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience, and no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious establishments or modes of worship.