Oct 24
Gay Teacher, Fired from Catholic School, Settles Suit with Diocese
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Gay third-grade teacher Michael Califano was fired last year from the Maria Regina School, a Catholic school on Long Island. Califano, who filed a federal civil rights suit, says he was told his dismissal was due to him not "living a Catholic lifestyle..." The diocese denies he was terminated for being gay, but has settled the suit, UK newspaper the Daily Mail reported.
Califano made his social media accounts private to avoid violating policies of the Long Island Catholic school where he taught, but someone tracked down photos on his boyfriend's page that showed the two men kissing. Whoever found those images submitted them anonymously to the local bishop, Califano told the newspaper.
The teacher noted that it was the diocese – not the school – that fired him; the school, the newspaper report noted, knew from the outset that he was gay. Califano has "strong ties" to Maria Regina, the Mail said, having attended the school himself – as did his late father, a police officer in whose name Califano funds scholarships through fundraisers he oversees.
A popular teacher, Califano saw his community come to his defense, the Mail reported. "Many parents and community members rallied for Califano to be reinstated," the writeup detailed, "and a petition was started on change.org which has now garnered nearly 29,000 signatures."
The petition's page emphasizes that the anonymously submitted photos "were not inappropriate posts by ANY means, were not made by Michael himself and were not on his social media account - his own social media was actually set as private (at the request of the diocese at the time of his hiring, as they knew he was gay when he was hired)..."
Added the petition: "Instead of standing by him, his character, his legacy, his dedication and his reputation (like the school did), the diocese fired him as they felt he wasn't following a 'catholic lifestyle'."
Reported the Mail: "It remains unclear if Califano will be reinstated and allowed to teach at the school again."
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
