Local Leader Weighs In On Firing Of Gay Main Line Teacher: Report

Jim Kenny, the Democratic nominee for Philadelphia mayor is calling out the Archdiocese of Philadelphia as a group of “cowardly men,” according to Philly.com, blaming the church for the controversial firing of a Main Line Catholic school teacher who is in a same-sex marriage.

Margie Winters, who had been an educator and director of religious studies at the Waldron Mercy Academy for the past eight years, says she was fired last week after at least two parents learned of her marriage to her wife, Andrea Vettori. According to Winters, the school had known of their relationship since 2007.

According to Philly.com, Kenny has urged the archdiocese to reinstate Winters. However, church officials have disavowed any role in her dismissal.

Kenny in turn reportedly said that “cowardly men” in the archdiocese had made the decision to fire Winters, and were now refusing to “stand up” and be accountable for their actions.

Read the full report at Phill.com.

Meanwhile, a Go Fund Me page, created three days ago with the aim of helping to support Winters and her wife financially in the aftermath of losing her job, has so far raised nearly $8,000.

Mercy Principal Nell Stetser altered parents of the decision in an email on Friday.

The email reportedly stated that the reasons for the dismissal were confidential, but later added that while “many of us accept life choices that contradict current church teachings,” those teachings must be followed in order to ”continue as a Catholic school.”

Stetser has released the following statement on Winters’ dismissal and the ensuing controversy:

“I cannot discuss a specific personnel matter. The primary consideration that guided my decision-making process was to sustain the Catholic identity of Waldron Mercy Academy. For the privilege of calling ourselves Catholic, we adhere to the teachings of the church.”

Photo courtesy of Jim Kenny.