Massachusetts School Dean Loses Job After Marrying Her Partner

[Ian David]

Massachusetts School Dean Loses Job After Marrying Her Partner

Christine M. Judd was a part of Cathedral High School in Springfield, Massachusetts for 12 years, beginning as a chemistry teacher and working her way up to eventually become the dean of students and athletics director. But since Wednesday, she stopped working for the school system, as an indirect result of her sexual orientation. Although marriage for same-sex couples has been legal in her home state since 2004, Judd married her partner of 12 years just this past August. Judd confirms that during a September 1 meeting, administrators, having learned that she got married, gave her two options: Resign or be terminated.

Cathedral High School is affiliated with and responsive to the Springfield Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church and its doctrine, part of which forbids marriage between same-sex couples. Mark Dupont, a spokesperson for the Diocese, tells The Republican newspaper that employees are expected to follow “the values we believe in and are teaching in these same schools … We must be true to who we are.”

This incident is another example in a a growing list similar cases of church affiliated schools rejecting gay families. EDGE Boston notes a story from just a few months ago about a child at another Massachusetts school who was denied admission because his parents were both women.

Judd’s contributions to Cathedral High are extensive, going back to 1998. Her biography on Cathedral’s official website boasts of her involvement in various aspects of the school, and describes her as both a disciplinarian and “one of the key members … who serve as positive role models for the students.” An editorial by Scott Coen of MassLive.com discusses his relationship with Judd and his disappointment in the decision, saying she has consistently placed students’ needs above all else.

More:
http://glaadblog.org/2010/09/03/massachusetts-school-dean-loses-job-after-marrying-her-partner/

So, after being a willing participant, since 1998, in indoctrinating students on behalf of an institution that hates her, is she surprised by this?

[RetiredTrotskyite]

1. She Certainly...

shouldn't be. After all, this is the RC Church she is dealing with.

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. When worlds collide. Two observations:

1. Catholic schools have notoriously weak teachers' unions. ( or no union at all.) Many people within the DEM party ( and EVERYONE in the other party) wish to replicate this situation in public schools across our USA. ( They are... in the usual Orwellian doublespeak fashion ... calling it "school reform".) Strong unions tend to build in job protections that make political/discriminatory dismissals unfeasible if not impossible. Likely consequence: we can look forward to an avalanche of glbt dismissals nationwide in both public and private schools should Mr. Obama not change course on this issue.

2. Writing off Ms. Dunn's firing as a "what does she expect?" phenomenon seems a bit simplistic. Does the school take NO public $$$? Not in * any * form? NONE? ( Not for books, bussing, hot lunch?) If the answer is an unqualified "no" , let them fire and hire as they please. Otherwise, the taxpayers of Massachusetts... the laws of which are , to my understanding, pretty clear on this sort of thing... ought to be due for a big fat $$$$ refund.