200 Meet to Support Fired Main Line Catholic School Teacher In Same-Sex Marriage: Report

Approximately 200 Waldron Mercy Academy parents gathered Wednesday night to support a religious teacher who was fired from the private Catholic school last month for being in a same-sex marriage, according to multiple media reports.

Philly.com has reported that the impromptu meeting at Jack’s Firehouse in Fairmont doubled as a “brainstorming session” for parents who support Margie Winters, who had been an educator and director of religious studies at the Main Line school for the past eight years. The parents plan to take their concerns to school officials.

According to 6ABC, Winters entered the closed-door meeting with her wife, whom she married in Boston in 2007, surrounded by supporters.

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

According to the report, the email stated 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.”

Winters, reportedly at the direction of the principal, had attempted to avoid discussing her marriage with parents at the school.

However, it was reported that at least two parents were informed of Winters’ marriage, and complained to the school and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.