>>> there is growing reaction tonight over an ohio gym teacher fired from her job at a catholic school for being in a relationship with another woman. while the school is digging its heels in over the incident, some of the students are standing up for her. nbc's stephanie gosk has our report.

>> carla hale does not like the news cameras.

>> i don't want money, fame.

>> she would prefer to be at the catholic high school in columbus, ohio, where she taught for 19 years, but last month, she was fired.

>> shock. i literally could not even sit down.

>> hale lives with her partner. something she never talkeded about at school, but when her mother died in february, hale included a mention in their relationship in the newspaper.

>> i told julia what i had done and she instantly questioned me and said, are you sure you want to do this.

>> one of the students read it and sent to the -- a coach at a catholic school living in a relationship in which the church is against amazes me. days later, hale, a practicing methodist, lost her job. a statement says the catholic church respects the fundamental dignity of all persons, but also must insist those in its employ respect the tenants of the church. a group of students jumped to the teacher's defense. an online petition has more than 62,000 signatures, including kendall meacham's.

>> my generation has no problem with people being gay.

>> these graduate say the decision to support hale is inspire inspired.

>> part of the system is when you see an injustice, you're called to stand up.

>> one of the reasons she says she stayed at the school her whole career.

>> it's just the great place to be. i loved the school.

>> but the gym teacher really wants to do is go back to work.

>>> when nightly news continues, heart