California teacher fired after gay ‘marriage,’ sues Catholic high school
March 19, 2014 (The Cardinal Newman Society) - A Catholic high school teacher who was dismissed after his same-sex marriage is suing his former employer for wrongful termination, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.
According to NY Daily News, Ken Bencomo’s lawyer, Patrick McGarrigle, said that Bencomo was told by a school administrator from St. Lucy’s Priory High School that he was losing his job because his same-sex marriage was “in public and violated the Church’s teaching.”
According to NY Daily News, the school released a statement to the media saying that while St. Lucy's "does not discriminate against teachers or other school employees based on their private lifestyle choices, public displays of behavior that are directly contrary to church teachings are inconsistent with these values."
Now, Bencomo has filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court against St. Lucy’s alleging the school violated California’s state Labor Code and committed breach of contract.
“At that time, and at all times thereafter, Bencomo’s sexual orientation was common knowledge among many of the students, faculty members and the administration of St. Lucy’s,” the suit alleges.
A petition was created at Change.org at the time of his firing calling the school’s decision “an act of prejudice” and urging the school to reverse its decision.
This is one of many similar lawsuits filed across the country since a number of states have legalized same-sex marriage.
Reprinted with permission from The Cardinal Newman Society
