Gay Teacher Fired After Marriage Announcement: Court Upholds Catholic School’s Discriminatory Decision
A federal appeals court has ruled that a North Carolina Catholic school acted within its rights when it fired gay teacher Lonnie Billard. This occurred after he announced his marriage to another man on social media in 2014. The court cited religious exemptions as the basis for its decision.
The Court’s Controversial Ruling
The 4th US Circuit Court Of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, overturned a previous 2021 ruling. That ruling stated Charlotte Catholic High School and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte violated Billard’s federal employment protections against sex discrimination.
The appeals court declared Billard fell under a “ministerial exception” to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. This exception, derived from the First Amendment, allows religious institutions leeway in employment decisions involving employees central to their religious missions.
Circuit Judge Pamela Harris wrote that the Charlotte Catholic expected teachers to integrate faith throughout the curriculum. This included subjects like English and drama, which Billard taught as a substitute after retiring as a full-time drama teacher.
The ACLU and Billard’s attorneys called the ruling “heartbreaking,” saying it “widens loopholes employers may use to fire people… for openly discriminatory reasons.”
However, an attorney defending the Charlotte diocese praised the decision as “a victory for… the freedom to pass on their faith.”
Billard began working at Charlotte Catholic in 2001, meeting his now-husband that year. He announced their marriage plans after same-sex marriage became legal in North Carolina in 2014. He filed a lawsuit challenging his firing in 2017.
The ruling highlights the ongoing battle between religious freedom and LGBTQIA+ rights in employment.
