. . . Not to Mention That Sperm-Donating Men Are Not Equally Punished).


--News Report #1:

"'Outrageous: Catholic School Fires Teacher, Five Months Pregnant, for Choosing Artificial Insemination'

"Christa Dias was a teacher at Archdiocese of Cincinnati schools for nearly two years before, at five months pregnant, the thirty-one-year-old asked about maternity leave. But rather than grant Dias some well-deserved time off, the schools fired her because her baby was conceived by artificial insemination, Cincinnati.com reports.

"From Jezebel:

"'The Archdiocese of Cincinnati requires all employees to sign contracts stating that they'll adhere to Catholic social teachings, including the assertion that being pregnant sans husband is a gravely immoral act. Someone tell that to the Virgin Mary.'

"The school originally said it fired her for being single and pregnant, but they were informed that that's not technically legal, so they changed their tune to say they fired her for becoming pregnant via artificial insemination.

"Dias was fired from Archdiocese of Cincinnati, where she was making $36,000 a year, in October 2010. Now the mother of a of an 11-month-old daughter, she is still unemployed.

“'She has a right to her opinion, but she doesn’t have a right to violate her (employment) contract,' said Archdiocese of Cincinnati spokesman Dan Andriacco.

"But Dias says men, whose soon-to-be-fatherhood is not quite as obvious as a women's, are not punished for breaking for the same rules. 'It’s a double standard. I’m suing so they can’t do this to any more women,’ Dias told Cincinnati.com. If the school's more lenient treatment of men accused of sexual abuse indicates anything, she may be right.

"From Jezebel:

"'Perhaps appropriately, the man who fired Dias, Rev. James Kiffermeyer, was himself suspended in 2002 after allegations arose that he engaged in sexual misconduct with two male high school students. He was reinstated in 2006. The archdiocese of Cincinnati hasn't escaped the sex scandal that's engulfed the Catholic Church over the last decade or so, either; in 2003, the archdiocese pled no contest to charges they ignored sexual abuse of boys by clergy in the 1980's and 90's. And the two priests alleged to have engaged in the abuse were suspended like Kiffermeyer, not fired as Dias was fired.'

"'I’m disappointed more than anything that I couldn’t continue my career because I wanted a child,' said Dias.

"She filed a lawsuit in April, suing for pregnancy discrimination and breach of contract, but it has been put on hold while the U.S. Supreme Court weighs on similar issues in another case."

("Outrageous: Catholic School Fires Teacher, Five Months Pregnant, for Choosing Artificial Insemination," by Kristen Gwynne, 27 December 2011, at: http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/755105/outrageous%3A_catholic_school_fires_teacher,_five_months_pregnant,_for_choosing_artificial_insemination/)
_____


--News Report #2:

"'Christa Dias, Mother, Fired From Catholic Schools For Use Of Artificial Insemination'

"Christa Dias, former technology coordinator at Holy Family and St. Lawrence Catholic schools in Cincinnati, Ohio, claims she was fired for becoming pregnant using artificial insemination, Cincinnati.com reports.

"According to the report, the schools initially fired Dias for being pregnant while single, but then changed their reasoning to being pregnant from artificial insemination, which they claim violates Catholic teaching as well as her employment contract.

"'I've always wanted to have a baby,' Dias told the publication. 'I've always known that. That's why I became a teacher, because I love kids. I didn't think it would be a problem.'

"Dias sued the schools for discrimination April, but the case has been put on hold while the U.S. Supreme Court considers a similar case.

"In their coverage of the incident, the blog Getreligion.org referenced a sidebar in the printed version of the article, which they say illustrate specifically the school claims against Dias:

"'CONTRACT CLAUSE DIAS AGREED TO WHEN HIRED

"'The teacher will "comply with and act consistently in accordance with the stated philosophy and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and the policies and directives of the School and the Archdiocese."

"'CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, SECTION 2376

"'The gift of a child'

"'Techniques that entail the dissociation of husband and wife, by the intrusion of a person other than the couple – donation of a sperm or ovum, surrogate uterus – are gravely immoral. These techniques – heterologous artificial insemination and fertilization – infringe the child’s right to be born of a father and mother known to him and bound to each other by marriage. They betray the spouses’ ‘right to become a father and a mother only through each other.'

"While the schools claim Dias' dissmisal was not discriminatory, but the product of a violation of a legal contract, her attorneys argue that the same standards are not enforced on men who provide the sperm for artificial insemination."

("Christa Dias, Mother, Fired From Catholic Schools For Use Of Artificial Insemination," by Laura Hubbard, "The Huffington Post," 28 December 2011, at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/28/christa-dias-fired-artificial-insemination-catholic_n_1173139.html)
_____


--News Report #3:

"'Catholic-School Staffer Fired for Artificial Insemination'

" . . . The 10-month-old infant is Christa Dias' greatest gift--and the reason she was fired from teaching jobs at two Cincinnati Catholic schools.'

"'I've always wanted to have a baby," said Dias, 32, who isn't Catholic. 'I've always known that. That's why I became a teacher, because I love kids.'

"Her employers, Holy Family and St. Lawrence schools in East Price Hill, Ohio, fired Dias in October 2010 because the single woman was 5½ months pregnant and wanted to discuss maternity leave. She is still unemployed.

"Dias sued in April, accusing the schools of pregnancy discrimination and breach of contract. Her case is on hold while the U.S. Supreme Court decides issues in another, similar case.

"Dias was fired for being pregnant as a result of artificial insemination. For Dias, the case is about what she thinks is a rigid religious institution that refuses to adapt to modern life and is punishing her for celebrating life with birth.

"For the schools that fired Dias, the issue is less about her beliefs and more about Dias keeping her legal promise.

"'She has a right to her opinion, but she doesn't have a right to violate her (employment) contract,' said Archdiocese of Cincinnati spokesman Dan Andriacco. That contract calls for her to act and comply with Catholic teachings, including not participating in what the church calls the 'grave immoral' act of artificial insemination.

"Initially, the schools fired Dias for being single and pregnant. But when informed that could violate discrimination laws, they changed the reason to being pregnant via artificial insemination."

("Catholic-School Staffer Fired for Artificial Insemination," by Kimball Perry, originally published in "Cincinnati Enquirer," republished in "USA Today," 27 December 2011, at: http://www.usatoday.com/USCP/PNI/NEWS/2011-12-28-PNI1228wir-teacher-fired_ST_U.htm)



Edited 10 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2011 11:33AM by steve benson.

I thought the "termination" was of the pregnancy. That REALLY would have been hypocritical.

I attended Catholic schools from k thru high school. (Lucky me...)

In high school - the early 80s for me - one of the senior boys got a sophomore girl pregnant. The girl was made to drop out of school to have her baby. She never graduated with her class. The boy never left school, graduated with his class, and is now one of the biggest real estate slumlords in his home town.

Yeah, the RC church is sexist. Not news. Also hypocritical to a huge degree. Also not news.

...Catholic school girl uniforms are in the top five porn costumes, so getting a girl pregnant is the girl's fault because she wore the mandated uniform.

The nun's habit is also in the top five. Face it, Catholics are just pervs.

;^D



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2011 01:47PM by Stray Mutt.

Feeling a bit warm 'n fuzzy for your good ol' days in Catholic parochial, eh? :)



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2011 05:16PM by steve benson.

Just sayin'.

And I still get flashbacks when I see nuns...

. . . especially on the all-male priesthood and the one-and-only-true salvational church level.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2011 02:27PM by steve benson.

"'CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, SECTION 2376

"'The gift of a child'

"'Techniques that entail the dissociation of husband and wife, by the intrusion of a person other than the couple – donation of a sperm or ovum, surrogate uterus – are gravely immoral. These techniques – heterologous artificial insemination and fertilization – infringe the child’s right to be born of a father and mother known to him and bound to each other by marriage. They betray the spouses’ ‘right to become a father and a mother only through each other.'"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2011 02:30PM by steve benson.

I guess that one presupposes the other. If you're pregnant you've obviously committed the grave sin. In the case of artificial insemination, it looks like they consider that to be "sex" of a sort and/or they got her with the old "nothing should come between a man and woman" belief about sex (that doesn't actually sound right but I'll leave it as is, lol).

We consider that Mormonism interferes with the sexual/reproductive lives of its members. I think Catholicism outdoes the Mormon Church in this regard. They delve into the question of whether people are sexually active and when, restrict birth control methods (clue: only the most ancient and unreliable), deny members the right to choose certain methods of becoming pregnant (i.e., ban on artificial insemination), demand celibacy of their priests and nuns and otherwise get overly involved in the intimate aspects of the lives of their flock.

It's interesting to note that many repeatedly state that Catholics ignore such interference (but good to know that many people make their own choices). I can't "do religion" like that - if the institution upholds certain beliefs and teachings I feel duty bound to follow them. Otherwise, what is the point of belonging to that group?

I don't know how I could call myself Catholic but ignore all these major tenets of that faith.

To me, it would be like being Mormon but not believing in JS or the BoM and never attending a meeting or the temple, denying the PE, the CK and the Mormon God. In light of all those failures to believe, what part of Mormon are you, in that case?

If one identifies with a certain group but feels free to make personal choices about major issues which may or may not conform, thereby differing with the tradition and teachings of the founder/s and leader/s of the church/organization, how do you reconcile picking and choosing which beliefs to follow?

I've always wondered this. At which point in one's personal pick-and-choose are you so far off adhering to the stated standards that you can't be considered a compliant, observing member of the group?

I do agree that religious groups, including church-run schools, have the right to make the rules and regs. If you want to worship with them, represent them, work for them, etc and especially if you sign an agreement governing your behaviour and lifestyle choices (standard for teachers in church-run schools) the institution has the right to terminate you for gross non-observance of their requirements.

It is clumsy and tacky of this particular institution, though, to apparently change their stated reasons for the firing. It seems that the teacher may have a good case against them for this action they took.

I too am mystified, though, about why someone would accept a job in a church-run school (or other such institution) and then fail to observe the stated expectations in such a major way. It's already an issue to become pregnant while unmarried. Add the AI aspect to it and surely a big reaction is to be expected, whether one agrees with their stance on this or not.

Teachers in church schools are expected to be role models for the students. Teachers know that going in.

Still, it's unfortunate when it plays out negatively in someone's life. I wonder why this woman hasn't been able to get another job. Maybe I missed the details on that.

...if she thought this wouldn't be an issue. When you agree to work at a private religious school, you are putting yourself in a position to be subject to their standards. It would have been a lot smarter if she had gotten the qualifications necessary to work in a public school before she had gotten pregnant. I've known two public school teachers who are single mothers, and it was never an issue for them. I also know of a teacher who is in an openly gay relationship -- they have kids as well. Again, not an issue.

I'm surprised that artificial insemination (for a married couple) is still frowned upon by the Catholic church. I'm guessing that it's yet another rule that most Catholics ignore.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2011 01:03PM by summer.

probably don't ask don't tell

From the OP:

"The school originally said it fired her for being single and pregnant, but they were informed that that's not technically legal, so they changed their tune to say they fired her for becoming pregnant via artificial insemination."

"According to the report, the schools initially fired Dias for being pregnant while single, but then changed their reasoning to being pregnant from artificial insemination, which they claim violates Catholic teaching as well as her employment contract."

"Initially, the schools fired Dias for being single and pregnant. But when informed that could violate discrimination laws, they changed the reason to being pregnant via artificial insemination."

The Catholic God just can't seem to get his act together (not to mention still giving guys a pass while sticking it to the women).



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2011 02:14PM by steve benson.

I never saw the Catholic god that way. I saw all love, all forgiveness.

For some of his religious, not so much. Among priests and nuns there was quite a range from very tolerant, loving, inclusive and forgiving, to on the other end, repressed, intolerant, narrow-minded, and mean. And everything in between.

The Catholic church, always conservative, has had a hard time coping with the moral implications of advances in medicine and technology. When in doubt, the church defalts to the position of new = bad, thus often giving believers yet another reason to ignore official directives and go their own way.

Virgin Birth.

I'm sure they would have taken Mary out and stoned her instead of rushing to the manger in Bethlehem.

"From Jezebel:

"'The Archdiocese of Cincinnati requires all employees to sign contracts stating that they'll adhere to Catholic social teachings, including the assertion that being pregnant sans husband is a gravely immoral act. Someone tell that to the Virgin Mary.'"

(from the OP)

Some poor nun was also excommunicated by her bishop just a couple of years ago because she agreed, along with other members of the ethics board at a Catholic hospital, that the only viable option for a patient with a very dangerous pregnancy was to have an abortion. I guess the bishop thought the patient should have died along with the baby...two deaths are better than one, eh? :-(

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=12655


Here's some background on the initial heavy-handed move against her by the local authoritarian archbishop (which, by the way, was opposed by many Catholics under his command):

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2803775/posts



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2011 05:29PM by steve benson.