San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone has proposed that teachers and staff at Bay Area high schools within the Archdiocese accept “morality” clauses that condemn homosexuality, same-sex marriage, contraception, ordination of female priests, abortion and use of assisted reproductive technology. Every staff member is expected to “conduct their lives so as to not visibly contradict, undermine or deny these truths.”
The Archbishop is also attempting to reclassify all employees of the four schools as part of the “ministry,” a move intended to eliminate anti-discrimination and other workplace protections for those staff members.
At the event, students decorated a large banner emblazoned with the phrase #teachacceptance, a hashtag they are using to organize support for their teachers on social media. Students covered the banner with expressions of the values their Catholic education has taught, such as love, acceptance, and justice.
“We come to school to be in a safe place to learn, to ask questions, and to explore our faith,” said Annie Fatooh, a student at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory. “We do not come to school to be told that we are unequal in the eyes of God. As students, we feel deeply threatened by the proposed changes to the teachers’ contract and handbook as they will mandate doctrine that we as young Catholics do not and will not stand for.”
“Students, particularly any who may be LGBT or questioning their sexuality, need a safe space free of judgment and fear,” said Michelle Parmenter, a student at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory. “Our schools have provided that safe space, but the Archbishop’s proposals would take it away.”
Students from all four affected high schools -- Marin Catholic in Kentfield, Archbishop Riordan and Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco, and Junipero Serra in San Mateo – asked that Archbishop Cordileone listen to the overwhelming outcry from his flock, and withdraw his proposals.
On Monday, March 16 from 7:30 to 9:00pm, the group known as Concerned Parents & Students: Teach Acceptance will hold a forum on the Archbishop’s proposed changes to the teacher contracts and faculty handbook. Speakers at the forum will include Brian Cahill, Former Executive Director of Catholic Charities of San Francisco; Leslie C. Griffin: William S. Boyd Professor of Constitutional Law at UNLV; Jim McGarry, retired Religious Studies teacher; and a panel of students and parents from all four schools. Monday’s forum will take place at the Maclaren Conference Center at the University of San Francisco (2130 Fulton Street, SF).
On March 3, over 80% of teachers at the four high schools issued a statement rejecting the Archbishop’s proposed language for the faculty handbook.
