The "first" casualty of the Catholic teachers-as-ministers clause:
Veteran Catholic teacher Molly Shumate stared at the Cincinnati Archdiocese contract for next school year and thought of her son.
She remembered when a nervous Zachery Shumate, a teenager at the time, approached her and revealed his homosexuality.
His revelation prompted the first-grade teacher to give him a hug, telling her boy she would always love and support him.
So when the new teachers' contract – strictly forbidding public support of homosexuality – was handed to her earlier this year, she was torn.
The employment contract – exclusively obtained and reported by The Enquirer in March – continues to divide huge sections of the region's Catholics. The "morality" clauses – though not unique among Catholic schools nationwide – were a first for the 19-county Archdiocese school system.
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She is the first Archdiocese teacher to make a public stand but those opposing the contract predict more will step forward once the school year ends later this month.
"For me to sign this (contract), I feel like I would be telling my son I've changed my mind, that I don't support him as I did. And I won't do that," she said.
Archdiocese officials remain steadfast in their support of the new contract.
Moreover, they contend some of the protests, which have attracted ancillary campaigns for private teacher employment rights, school unions and critics of the church's policies are based on misunderstandings. Officials say much of the opposition is based on over reactions to the newly detailed personal morality provisions and how, in some circumstances, they may lead to teacher firings.
Catholic teacher backs gay son, quits to protest contract
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