School teacher fired for gay wedding

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School teacher fired for gay wedding

AP December 8, 2013, 5:24 pm

A gay teacher at a Catholic high school in The US was fired after he applied for a marriage licence. AAP

Michael Griffin was fired from Holy Ghost Preparatory School after administrators said his obtaining a licence to marry his same-sex partner was a violation of his contract.

Father James McCloskey, the school's headmaster, said in a statement that faculty at the school are required to follow church teachings, NBC Philadelphia reported.

He said in the statement that Griffin's decision "contradicts the terms of his teaching contract at our school, which requires all faculty and staff to follow the teachings of the Church as a condition of their employment. In discussion with Mr Griffin, he acknowledged that he was aware of this provision, yet he said that he intended to go ahead with the ceremony."

Griffin, who graduated from the school and has taught French and Spanish there for 12 years, said that his relationship with his partner of 12 years wasn't a secret from the school and that his partner had even been to Father McCloskey's house.

Griffin lives in New Jersey, which became the 14th state to recognise same-sex marriage in October.