Catholic teachers challenge morality clause

[Perspicuo]

CNN: A litany of 'thou shalt nots': Catholic teachers challenge morality clause
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/05/30/living/catholic-teachers-morality/

If you want to teach at a Catholic school in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, regardless of your religion, you must be willing to sign a detailed morality clause that critics say focuses on "pelvic issues."

The revised contracts forbid teachers from -- among other things -- living together or having sex outside of marriage, using in-vitro fertilization, a gay "lifestyle," or publicly supporting any of those things.

The system's 2,200 current teachers must sign the agreement to stay on the job.

"It is an embarrassment and a scandal, and will drive even more Catholics away from an institution so out of touch with its times," said Robert Hague, a high school English teacher for 50 years.

He's leaving his job rather than sign because he's opposed to "the language, the intent, and the tone of this contract," he says.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Do these schools take a dime of public money? If so, this needs to be thrown out.

 

[cornbread_r2]

As I understand it, it's not illegal to refuse to hire someone who won't sign an employment contract.

It seems that once teachers sign the contracts, they'll be considered quasi-ministers -- even if they aren't Catholic and teach maths -- and, as such, can be fired for any reason under the ministerial exception doctrine if not for breach of contract.

 

[Angry Floof]

Good luck to them keeping anyone employed. I imagine the ensuing personnel issues will detract from educating children.

Then again, it's not exactly news that religious institutions value controlling everyone else's personal choices and beliefs a lot more than they do educating children.

 

[Underseer]

As I understand it, it's not illegal to refuse to hire someone who won't sign an employment contract.

It seems that once teachers sign the contracts, they'll be considered quasi-ministers -- even if they aren't Catholic and teach maths -- and, as such, can be fired for any reason under the ministerial exception doctrine if not for breach of contract.

 

[Underseer]

CNN: A litany of 'thou shalt nots': Catholic teachers challenge morality clause
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/05/30/living/catholic-teachers-morality/

If you want to teach at a Catholic school in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, regardless of your religion, you must be willing to sign a detailed morality clause that critics say focuses on "pelvic issues."

The revised contracts forbid teachers from -- among other things -- living together or having sex outside of marriage, using in-vitro fertilization, a gay "lifestyle," or publicly supporting any of those things.

The system's 2,200 current teachers must sign the agreement to stay on the job.

"It is an embarrassment and a scandal, and will drive even more Catholics away from an institution so out of touch with its times," said Robert Hague, a high school English teacher for 50 years.

He's leaving his job rather than sign because he's opposed to "the language, the intent, and the tone of this contract," he says.

So this is what passes for "moral" from the same institution that sided with the Nazis and protected child rapists, nevermind the horrible things they did to Jews over the last two millennia.

 

[Perspicuo]

I wonder if in the US it is legal to force someone to adjust their personal, private lives to the whim and whim of their masters employers. I know in my country it isn't. One would think it is the sign of a modern, advanced country for such things to be illegal, more in the tone of a feudal arrangement of the body politic.

 

[Keith&Co.]

I wonder if in the US it is legal to force someone to adjust their personal, private lives to the whim and whim of their masters employers.

But they're not forcing anyone to adjust their personal private life.
They're not saying you cannot have a baby by in vitro fertilization.
They're saying you cannot do it AND remain a holy minister of this holy foundation of holy learning. Which you should have already recognized by virtue of being employed in a holy Catholic foundation of holy learning.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

I wonder if in the US it is legal to force someone to adjust their personal, private lives to the whim and whim of their masters employers. I know in my country it isn't. One would think it is the sign of a modern, advanced country for such things to be illegal, more in the tone of a feudal arrangement of the body politic.

This is especially the case given the increasing powers of corporations over our society. These checks were put on government operations because due to the power that governments have, measures need to be taken to ensure that those powers are not abused and people don't get discriminated against by an organization which is too big for them to fight back against effectively. If you allow corporations more power, then similar restraints need to be placed on how they use that power.

 

[Underseer]

I wonder if in the US it is legal to force someone to adjust their personal, private lives to the whim and whim of their masters employers. I know in my country it isn't. One would think it is the sign of a modern, advanced country for such things to be illegal, more in the tone of a feudal arrangement of the body politic.

If employers can't dictate employees' private lives, then we all become less free. Surely even someone from a communist country such as yourself must be able to see that! [/conservolibertarian]

 

[Keith&Co.]

During Prohibition, Ford forbade his British workers from drinking any alcohol, ever, and not just on the job!

 

[Jokodo]

I wonder if in the US it is legal to force someone to adjust their personal, private lives to the whim and whim of their masters employers.

But they're not forcing anyone to adjust their personal private life.
They're not saying you cannot have a baby by in vitro fertilization.
They're saying you cannot do it AND remain a holy minister of this holy foundation of holy learning. Which you should have already recognized by virtue of being employed in a holy Catholic foundation of holy learning.

Work contracts can tell you what you must or cannot do within working hours (and even that within limits, I believe that even in the US, a contract that e.g. stipulates that you have to do dangerous work without protective gear would be unenforcible).

If they want to be able to tell their employees what to do 24h a day, seven days a weak, they're going to have to pay them for 168h/week.