The local Roman Catholic diocese in Charlotte, NC is being a douchebag again, this time firing a gay teacher after he announced his engagement on his personal Facebook page.
68-year-old Lonnie Billard (pictured) loves teaching. He retired from his job as drama and English teacher at Charlotte Catholic High School in 2012, only to return to work as a longterm substitute teacher, a position he’s held for about two years. Until now.
Just before the new year, Billard received a pink slip informing him that his services would no longer be needed by the school. The reason? Daring to change his relationship status on Facebook to say that he was engaged to a man.
“Apparently there were a couple teachers there who are super-conservative Catholic,” Billard tells qnotes. “They are not friends of mine on Facebook, but they found out about it and escalated it so it got to the diocese.”
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The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte says it’s not responsible for Billard’s termination, claiming the decision was made by administrators at Charlotte Catholic High School. But Billard disagrees.
“This was not a decision by Charlotte Catholic High School,” Billard insists. “I had talked with one of the administration officials. He knew [about the announcement]. He didn’t care. He said he knew me to be a good teacher and a good person.”
As qnotes points out, this is not the first time the diocese has let go an employee for being gay. In 2012, the diocese canned music director Steav Congdon after it claimed he committed “a public act that is in disobedience to Church teaching” by marrying his male partner.
Billard says he is “terribly hurt” by being suddenly and unexpectedly fired.
“I love to teach,” he says. “I absolutely love to teach and to be denied that opportunity for something that never even enters the classroom was devastating.”
He also says he’s also concerned about the message it sends to LGBT students.
“I know exactly what message it sends,” he says. “I’ve heard from them. It sends the message that they don’t matter.”
“One of the counselors there actually had a kid come into their office after this announcement and asked, ‘Am I going to be expelled because I’m gay?’” Billard continues. “It sends such a destructive and hurtful message to kids, instead of validating them for their beauty and validating them for the love they bring. It tells them they don’t count.”
Related stories:
Catholic School Students Rally Behind Gay Teacher Fired For Planning His Wedding
Fired Catholic Educator Speaks Out About The “Brazen” Offer To Let Him Keep His Job
Catholic Principal Who Fired Beloved Teacher For Getting Married Resigns
Billy Budd
This is horrible. The catholic Church is an abomination.
Ron Jackson
Another reason to avoid places like Facebook. duh!
jwtraveler
What did they expect? We all now know that the only form of sexual contact between males that is condoned by the Catholic church is priests raping little boys.
sfhally
Seriously? What do these teachers/choir directors think is going to happen?
Sebizzar
Is that even legal? I hope there’s a petition we can sign soon. Those neanderthals can’t get away this.
MisterDemand
at this point it kinda hard to feel bad. these stories are so common, and everyone knows churches are free from discrimination laws. if you are gay u work there at your own risk
aliengod
He taught at a Catholic school. What does he expect? Keep your personal business off Facebook and this may not have happened. If he loves teaching so much, get a job at a public school.
NoCagada
@Ron Jackson: Another reason to avoid the catholic church
NoCagada
When you have some sick need to be part of a club that hates you, poop happens.
Will L
I agree with sfhally and aliengod. We worked there long enough to retire so he knew this would happen. He had to have done it for dramatic effect. No sympathy from me.
MacAdvisor
While I don’t like what happened to Mr. Billard, I strongly support the right of the Catholic church to terminate staff who do not conform to their religious practices. Catholic schools are an extension of the Catholic church and its religious mission. They have to be permitted to hire people they best believe can support their views, however abhorrent. It is part of the First Amendment’s right of association and speech. If one doesn’t like the views of a particular church — and I have strong reservations about some Roman Catholic beliefs, such as their anti-gay and anti-choice stands, I strongly support their anti-death penalty stand — don’t attend it, don’t support it.
Why any self-respecting gay person would teach at a Catholic school in this day and age simply baffles me. This is like the old joke, “Doctor, it hurts when I do this.” “Don’t do that.”
Ogre Magi
LGBT people should always be wary of all three Abrahamic faiths
Black buns
That is the only thing that frightens me about Facebook and all the other sites and especially if you have a job like teaching, where you can say what’s on your mind, in your heart and still get you in serious trouble. People have lost their entire lives behind Facebook and this is one of those examples. This guy was happy to share with the world that he was getting married and now he is getting fired.
stranded
I’m not that sympathetic, you know what you’re getting into when you apply to work at a catholic school.
lcandela123
one of the many reasons I despise the Catholic Church and all of its grotesque enormities.
buffnightwing
@MacAdvisor: What a LOSER YOU are. This guy is obviously great at what he does otherwise they wouldn’t have looked the other way all those years. It’s not church doctrine to be idiotic,oh wait, yes it is.
Stop defending the hateful church. what an idiot YOU ARE. This person is gay and deserves our sympathy and compassion.
looks like YOU have NONE.
JERK.
Jacob23
It’s the Catholic Church that is suffering persecution. It has lost its private armies. It is no longer allowed to steal Irish babies and sell them. It is deprived of its right to imprison single mothers and use them as slave labor in laundries. It has lost the religious freedom to abuse orphans and stuff their dead bodies into underground wells. It is even under pressure to reform its corrupt bank. Are we going to deny the RCC the right to fire excellent gay teachers now as well?
Saint Law
@Jacob23: Word.
Saint Law
@aliengod: Yeah omit from his Facebook the most important event of his life.
Your sex life – or lack of – may be your dirty little secret, but Marriage isn’t simply ‘personal’ you gurning fuckwit. It’s the public recognition of a relationship and brings many crucial legal rights.
Though alas not yet that of being protected from this kind of persecution.
Saint Law
@Will L: “He had to have done it all for dramatic effect. No sympathy from me.”
Or wit, insight or compassion.
aliengod
@Saint Law: If you choose to work at a Catholic organization and you know full well they’re not accepting of your sexuality, you shouldn’t whine about losing your job after outing yourself on Facebook. This man was old enough to know better.
I don’t agree with the Catholic Church, but they have the right to practice their faith and run their organization the way they desire. Personally, I’d never work at such a place.
You can be as condescending as you’d like in regards to my opinion. Attacking me personally only makes you look foolish.
aliengod
@MacAdvisor: Exactly what I was thinking. Well said, sir.
Clark35
@jwtraveler: Exactly. He shouldn’t be surprised he got fired from a Catholic school when the Roman Catholic church hates LGBT people.