Portland’s St. Mary’s Academy changes policy on gay hiring after backlash

Students from St. Mary Academy in Portland, Ore., protest in front of their school August. 26 after learning that school officials had withdrawn a job offer to a counselor who announced plans to enter a same-sex marriage. They have also started using the tag #FightForSMA to campaign for Brown to be re-hired. “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”.

On Wednesday night, the school board voted unanimously to include sexual orientation in the school’s equal employment policy. The job Brown was offered has already been filled, but according to the Portland Oregonian, school officials have said they are reaching out to her and her attorney to “discuss options for reconciliation”.

Best of luck to everyone at St. Mary’s fighting the good fight for equality!

The agreement would have paid Brown about $41,500 plus benefits, but the 27-year-old Bloomington, Ind., native would have been required to accept a confidentiality agreement and that was a condition she said she simply could not abide. We understand that others may hold different values, and we respect the right of individuals in society to do so.

Protesters – mainly students and alumni – reacted by decorating a statue of Mary outside the school in pro-gay slogans and rainbow paraphernalia.

In a statement, Archdiocese of Portland Communication Director David Renshaw said, “the archdiocese is aware of the decision made by St. Mary’s Academy, and will continue our conversation with school officials”.

Some community members asked questions, however, about whether the policy change would endanger the school’s affiliation with the Catholic Church.

“Portland is a city that embraces rights and opportunities for everyone”, he said. “They are also the law”, Hales said in the release. He was joined by students who spoke out on social media.

She said St. Mary’s has always been open and people fight for what they believe in.

“I’m shocked to read this, though I shouldn’t be”.

Friedhoff says her school has struggled with balancing the Gospel with today’s changing world and is trying to keep the school a safe place for young women.