Angry parents hammer Catholic school for firing popular teacher over same-sex marriage
A Catholic school on Philadelphia's Main Line is feeling the heat from not only parents but the Democratic nominee for mayor after the school's principal fired a popular teacher reportedly because she is in a same-sex marriage, reports WPVI.
Margie Winters, who has taught at Waldron Mercy Academy in Merion Station for eight years, said she was called in and told to either resign or be fired after a parent at the school wrote a letter to a trustee complaining about her sexual orientation.
According to Winters the school knew she was married to another woman when she took the job in 2007, and she refused to resign.
"In my mind, for me to resign means that what this woman and what she believes the church is saying is true and I don't believe that's true," said Winters.
Jim Kenney -- currently running for mayor of Philadelphia -- has made Winter's firing a campaign issue, attacking the Catholic Archdiocese which he believes pulled the strings that led to Winters' firing.
"If you're a church official and you feel that strongly that this woman and her partner are such a threat to society, stand up and say so," Kenney said.
The archdiocese has repeatedly denied playing a role in Winters' firing, with the school's principal stating she was adhering to "the teachings of the Church" when she made the decision. According to Winters, she said she was told she should have kept her marriage to another woman a secret from the kids.
Parents of children attending the school are unhappy with the decision and want answers, saying their kids are devastated by the loss of popular Winters who served as the school's religious education director.
Candidate Kenney, noting the Pope is scheduled to visit Philadelphia, invoked the pontiff saying he should intercede.
"The children she teaches love her. The parents love her also," Kenney said. "I just hope the pope comes in September and really puts some people in line."
Watch the video below from WPVI:
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