Teacher at a Catholic school is fired on her wedding day after marrying her lesbian lover of 14 years

Tippi McCullough has left Catholic Mount St Mary school, Little Rock

Principal Diane Wolfe called McCullough on her wedding day to fire her

School were not told of wedding and found out 'through diocese'

McCullough says the school knew about the relationship



An Arkansas teacher has been fired from a Catholic school because she married her lesbian lover.

The principal of Mount St Mary school, in Little Rock, is alleged to have phoned Tippi McCullough on her wedding day in order to fire her.

Diane Wolfe claimed she had found out about the union 'through the diocese' and, according to Mrs McCullough, told her: 'I never thought this day would come, but I have to terminate you.'

Mount St Mary Catholic girls school in Little Rock, Arkansas, called one of its teachers on her wedding day to tell her she was being fired after finding out her bride was a lesbian

It has been reported that the English teacher, who had been at the school for 15 years, was offered a 'glowing recommendation' letter and told she could voluntarily resign.

Mrs McCullough wed Barb Mariani in Alberquerque on Wednesday, as the state has previously legalised gay marriage.

But 45 minutes after the ceremony Mrs McCullough was called by a school secretary and warned not to go through with the engagement which they had apparently learned about 'through the diocese'.

Later Ms Wolfe called back and, after confirming the wedding had taken place, fired Mrs McCullough.



Mrs McCullough claims that the school knew that she was a lesbian and was aware of her relationship, which started just a year after she joined.



Mrs McCullough has since said she will not be returning to the school and is not listed as a staff member on their website.

The former Miss Mariani said: 'It is impossible to believe that the first call we received after the most joyous occasion of our lives was a vocal pink slip.



'Tippi has been a beloved teacher at Mount St. Mary’s for 15 years and it’s a sad day when she is fired for doing nothing more than committing to the person she loves – me.'

The school were not told about the ceremony and say they found out 'through the diocese'

The school is replying on a clause in its contract which states that staff can be dismissed for leading a lifestyle contrary to church teachings.

When Mrs McCullough asked how her marriage had violated the clause, Wolfe responded by saying she wasn't going to have a theological debate and that there was nothing else she could do.



Mariani added: 'They hire people who aren't Catholic, with a lot of different belief systems. What's upsetting to me is that the morality clause covers birth control, premarital sex and they are certainly not pro-choice.



'It's disturbing to me that no straight teacher is called in and asked if she's using birth control or unmarried and having premarital sex with a boyfriend.'

No law protects McCullough from being fired as a religious institution citing church teaching would be exempt from discrimination laws.



Human Rights Campaign president Chad Griffin said: 'To fire a beloved teacher simply because she is gay is morally reprehensible.



'At a moment when Pope Francis is urging the Catholic hierarchy to put aside judgment and a decades-long campaign targeting devoted LGBT Catholics, it’s shameful that this school is ignoring that hopeful message in favor of explicit and baseless discrimination.'

Diane Wolfe and school president Karen Flake have previously been unavailable for comment.



Mount St Mary was founded in 1851 and is an all-girls Roman Catholic School, is sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, and says it focuses teaching on their three tenets of compassion, mercy, and justice.