Ohio Catholic school fires teacher planning gay ‘marriage’: diocese strongly backs school
SANDUSKY, OH , January 15, 2014 ( LifeSiteNews.com ) – The Diocese of Toledo has issued a statement saying it “fully concurred” with a Catholic school 's decision to fire an openly homosexual teacher for announcing his “engagement” to his boyfriend. Brian Panetta, who taught band and choir for four-and-a-half years, left his position with Sandusky Central Catholic School on January 3. He has said the school allowed him to resign. “When Sandusky Central Catholic School informed the diocese of the situation, the diocese fully concurred it was the correct decision and in keeping with the terms of his Teacher-Minister contract,” he diocese said in a statement . “I understand the church’s teachings, but I don’t agree with it," Panetta told the Toledo Blade . On the day he resigned, Panetta wrote in a letter to the full student body and faculty, “As a proud and gay Catholic, I understand the Church’s teachings on marriage and agree that my engagement is a public