23,000 Signatures: Reinstate Fired Gay Catholic School Teacher

Supporters of the Main Line Catholic school teacher who was fired over her same-sex marriage have delivered a petition with 23,000 signatures to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, calling for her reinstatement, according to CBS3.

Margie Winters, who had been the director of religious studies at Waldron Mercy Academy for the past eight years before her dismissal from the Merion Station school in June, personally appeared at the diocesan offices with the petition on Monday, reportedly hoping to ask Archbishop Charles Chaput to sit down and talk.

The school does not fall under the authority of the archdiocese, according to church officials. Still, Chaput has previously released a statement praising the Sisters of Mercy, the religious order that runs the academy, for their decision.

In a new statement released Monday, the archdiocese called the petition “problematic.”

“As has been noted several times, Waldron Mercy is a private Catholic school and does not fall under the administrative purview of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia,” read the statement. “It’s wrong for any individual or group to perpetuate the falsehood that the Archbishop interfered with the school’s personnel decisions.

“That being said, Archbishop Chaput continues to fully support the decision made by the leadership of Waldron Mercy. He remains grateful to the Religious Sisters of Mercy and to the principal and board members of Waldron Mercy for taking the steps to ensure that the Catholic faith is presented in a way fully in accord with the teaching of the Church. Schools describing themselves as Catholic take on the responsibility of teaching and witnessing the Catholic faith in a manner true to Catholic belief. The petition being presented does not change that stance.”

Winters was reported firedly after at least two parents who had learned of her marriage issued complaints – one to the school, and the other to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

She has been married to her partner, Andrea Vettori, for seven years. Winters has stated that the school knew of their relationship when she was first hired.

Despite the complaints that saw her dismissed, Winters has enjoyed the support of hundreds of parents, students and teachers at the school, who expressed their disagreement with the school’s decision at a prayer vigil this month.

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 more than $17,000.