Backlash Builds Against Portland Catholic School

The fight over religious freedom and same-sex marriage has come to Portland. St. Mary's Academy, an all-girls Catholic prep school in downtown Portland, came under fire Tuesday when it was revealed the school rescinded an offer of employment over same-sex marriage.

Lauren Brown, 27, had been hired by the school back in April to be a college counselor, according to the Willamette Week's Aaron Mesh, but withdrew its offer of employment to Brown after she revealed she was in a relationship with another woman and brought up the issue of marriage.

"In July, she told officials at St. Mary’s that she is gay, that she has a girlfriend, and asked them hypothetically what would happen if she got married," Mesh told OPB's All Things Considered Host Kate Davidson on Wednesday. "Would she be allowed to bring her girlfriend, or future wife, to events at the school?"

Mesh said the school reacted quickly to what they called an "impending same-sex marriage."

The school pulled the offer to Brown because of what St. Mary's President Christina Friedhoff referred to as "a conflict with current Catholic teachings regarding same-sex marriage."

According to Mesh, the school then tried to convince Brown to sign a non-disclosure agreement in return for one year's salary and benefits. But Brown said she wasn't planning to marry her girlfriend and that she made it very clear to school officials that she was speaking hypothetically, Mesh said.

Reaction to the school's decision has sparked debate from around the city about the legality of the school's move. Portland Archbishop Alexander Sample issued a statement lending support to the academy:

"We expect that given certain reassurances by the federal government in the wake of the recent Supreme Court ruling making 'same-sex unions' the law of the land, our religious liberty would be protected in this case as well as any future cases of this sort."

Mesh noted it's unclear how the legal ramifications from St. Mary's decision will play out, noting that anti-discrimination employment statues are tricky.

"The Oregon law, and most state laws and federal law carve out a very clear exemption for religious institutions for religious freedom reasons. The question then becomes: Does it apply here?" he said.

Portland Mayor Charlie Hales denounced the school's decision in a statement released Wednesday.

"Portland is a city that embraces rights and opportunities for everyone. Those aren’t just nice words. They are also the law," Hales said. "We believe St. Mary’s Academy, and every other public, private and nonprofit organization in the city, should follow the letter and the spirit of the law, and our shared values."

Mesh also noted that Tim Boyle, CEO of Columbia Sportswear, and his wife, Mary — major donors to the school — have come out against the move.

"We are extremely disappointed in the decision by St. Mary’s Academy to terminate an offer of employment based on sexual orientation and objections to marriage equality. We feel strongly that the position taken by St. Mary’s, as reported in the press and reflected in communications from the school, was wrong and should be reversed," the Boyles said in a statement reported by Willamette Week.

The controversy is unlikely to die down as the issue moves forward, Mesh told OPB.

"There’s been wide-spread outcry across Portland that the school needs to reverse it’s decision and rehire Brown."

Backlash Builds Against Portland Catholic School

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