Lesbian ex-nun sues Chile in international court for right to teach Catholic religion classes
An
ex-nun habituated to homosexual behavior who has been prohibited from teaching
Catholic religion classes in Chilean public schools will soon have her case
heard by the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights, on the grounds of
“discrimination.”
Sandra Pavez, who reportedly taught the Catholic
religion to public school students for 22 years, was removed from her position
in 2007 when her immoral personal behavior became known to both the bishop and
the vicar of education of the diocese of San Bernardo, according to commission
filings.
Although the bishop admonished Pavez to “immediately
terminate her homosexual life,” and urged her to seek psychological help for
her behavior, she refused. As a result, the diocese sent a letter to Pavez and
to the local director of education, informing her that her certificate of
suitability for teaching Catholicism had been revoked. She has not taught
religion in public schools since that time.
The Chilean government mandates that all public
schools make two hours of weekly religious instruction available to all
students in accordance with their parents’ religious beliefs. Seventy percent
of Chileans regard themselves as Catholic and most of the classes offered teach
the Catholic faith. Parents have the right to exclude their children from such
courses if they so wish.
According to Chilean law, the Catholic Church has the
right to decide who is fit to teach students the Catholic faith, just as they
would in Catholic schools.
Pavez is receiving free legal help from the Movement
for Homosexual Liberation and Integration (MOVILH), which has taken her case
from the Chilean courts to the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights.
In its report accepting
Pavez’s complaint, the Commission claims that there is evidence that Article 11
of the Inter-American Convention on Human Rights, which protects the “right to
privacy,” was violated by the Chilean government. It also raises concerns about
“due process,” given that Pavez was not given the benefit of court hearings.
The Alliance Defending Freedom, which has official
standing as an entity before the Commission, has filed an amicus
curiae brief on
behalf of the defense.
Although the verdicts of the Commission do not have
the force of law, the Commission has the option of submitting unresolved cases
to the Inter-American Court for Human Rights if member states don’t comply.
Chile is one of several Latin American countries which has ceded jurisdiction
to the Court and must abide by its decisions.
The Organization of American States (OAS) and the
Inter-American Commission for Human Rights have become increasingly involved in gender-ideological causes in recent years, repeating the claims
of activists that “gender minorities” are subject to an epidemic of violence
and discrimination. The Commission now maintains a “Registry of Violence”
listing hundreds of cases in which transsexuals and homosexuals have been
killed or attacked in recent years. However, the Commissionadmits that
in most cases, “reporting sources cannot confirm whether these are killings
motivated by prejudice.”
