Catholic School Revises Hiring Policy to Include Gays and Lesbians
- Updated Aug 31, 2015
An all-girls Portland Catholic high school will now hire gays and lesbians.
According to Christian Today, the St. Mary’s Academy in Oregon announced the change in policy last week after the school was criticized for refusing to hire a lesbian. The board for the academy voted unanimously for the change.
“Effective immediately, St. Mary's has added sexual orientation to its equal employment opportunity policy,” said St. Mary's Academy President Christina Friedhoff and the board of directors.
“St. Mary's is a diverse community that welcomes and includes gay and lesbian students, faculty, alumnae, parents and friends, including those that are married. We are still deeply committed to our Catholic identity."
The change comes after the school withdrew a job offer to Lauren Brown after discovering she was a lesbian. She accepted the job of a counselor earlier this year, but then the school told her in July that they were withdrawing the offer because of her “impending marriage to a same-sex partner.”
Brown’s attorney, Gloria Trainor, said Brown is not engaged.
The job has been offered to another candidate, and Brown turned down the school’s offer of one year’s salary to settle the issue.
According to Christian Today, school officials are talking with staff, parents and students about the issue so that “healing within our community can begin.”
Publication date: August 31, 2015
