Gay Teacher Firing: Carla Hale Fighting to Get Her Job Back After Name Of Partner Mentioned In Obituary [VIDEO]
A gay teacher who claims she was fired from a Roman Catholic high school in March after a letter stated her partner’s name is fighting for her job back.
The woman, Carla Hale, believes she lost her job from the Ohio school because her mother’s obituary, which was sent to school administrators, included the name of her partner, ABC News reported. According to the teacher’s attorney, they plan to file a complaint in Columbus this week, which prohibits firings based on sexual orientation.
Current and former students of the school have expressed their support for the physical education teacher, and started an online petition that has so far collected approximately 100,000 supporters, the report stated.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus says school employees can't go against teachings of the church.
According to The Columbus Dispatch, an anonymous parent had seen the obituary and outed her to diocese officials. Within weeks, Hale said, she was fired because she is in a gay relationship.
The petition read: "Carla Hale, a beloved teacher at Bishop Watterson High School, was fired because of her sexuality… It's unfair that someone who cared so much about her students and her job should lose them on the basis of something she cannot even control."
The petition was started by Hale's former student Jackson Garrity.