Roncalli High School is being accused of silencing and threatening to expel two recent graduates who spoke out during their senior year on behalf of a guidance counselor who was placed on leave and eventually fired because of her same-sex marriage.

The allegations are being levied by 2019 Roncalli graduate Dominic Conover and classmate Elijah Mahan’s mother, Erica Garrity. In addition to silencing her son, Garrity said the retaliation went a step further when the school tried to raise her son's tuition in the middle of his senior year.

She recently won a small claims court case in the dispute, but the school may appeal.

More:Everything we know about Shelly Fitzgerald and the Roncalli same-sex marriage case

IndyStar contacted Roncalli and the Archdiocese of Indianapolis on Friday about the allegations. The archdiocese, which governs Roncalli and other Catholic schools, didn't directly address a question about threats of disciplinary action but said a meeting that the school held last year that included Conover, Mahan and their parents was designed to "outline expectations."

"It was never our intent to silence students, but rather help them understand the appropriate forums to address their concerns and have their voices heard," said Gina Fleming, superintendent of Catholic schools for the archdiocese, which governs Roncalli and other Catholic schools.

Mahan and Conover were seniors at Roncalli last year when they and a handful of other students led an effort to advocate for the counselor, Shelly Fitzgerald. Mahan notably carried a pride flag onto the field during the first football game of last season to show support for Fitzgerald and LGBTQ rights.

Fitzgerald was suspended from Roncalli, and later fired, because of her marriage to another woman. A second counselor at Roncalli and a teacher at another IndianapolisCatholic high school have since been fired for being in same-sex marriages, also.

That group of students eventually formed Shelly’s Voice, an organization advocating for change at their school and for the archdiocese to allow gay, married teachers and counselors like Fitzgerald to work in Catholic schools. Over several months, the group raised thousands of dollars and was featured with Fitzgerald on the "Ellen" show but grew quiet during the second semester, Conover said, because school officials threatened to suspend or expel them.

“I traded my silence for my diploma in order to graduate from that school,” said Conover, who is starting at Butler University this month.

Garrity also said her son and other students who spoke out in support of Fitzgerald and LGBTQ rights were threatened with suspension or expulsion.

Then, at the start of the second semester, Garrity said the school told her she owed an extra $1,500 in tuition before her soncould sit for final exams or have his transcripts released to colleges.

“So then it’s, how can I get him able to take his finals and not impact his future?”

Garrity took the school to small claims court.

She won — though, the school may appeal.

"The small claims court judgment is subject to appeal and therefore not final, so we cannot comment on it," Fleming said.

Small claims court ruled in favor of graduate's mother

A judge in Marion County Small Claims Court ruled in Garrity’s favor last month, agreeing that both parties had consented to a tuition cap of $3,818 for the school year with no other conditions. Roncalli had argued that Mahan's tuition was only $3,818 if Garrity completed a certain number of volunteer hours, like working at athletic events around the city.

In an email between Garrity and Roncalli President Joe Hollowell, provided to IndyStar by Garrity, at the start of last school year Hollowell tells Garrity that the family’s contribution for Mahan'stuition will be capped at a percentage of her income, which works out to $3,818, and makes no mention of work or volunteer requirements.

Mahan received a scholarship from Roncalli the previous year, Garrity said, and there were no family work requirements. Documents and emails provided to IndyStar by Garrity confirm that Elijah did receive a scholarship for the 2017-18 school year and there were no work requirements for the family.

Tuition and book rental tops $12,000 a year at the private Catholic high school. Mahanattended a public high school during his freshman year, but Garrity said she wanted a smaller environment for him, where he could more easily explore his varied interests. Mahanis an athlete, but also participated in theater and show choir.

For Mahan's sophomore year, Garrity applied for and received a private school voucher through Indiana’s Choice Scholarship Program. It gives families a percentage of the money the state would pay to a student’s public school district to use as a tuition voucher at participating private schools.

Garrity paid the difference — more than $7,000 — out of pocket. In his junior year, Roncalli gave Mahana scholarship that brought the family’s cost down to $3,000.

Mother defends Roncalli grad's 'outspoken advocacy'

That’s why, Garrity said, she was so confused when, five months after the school year started, she was told she’d be on the hook for an additional $1,500 if she didn’t complete work requirements.

“I have my suspicions as to why it happened,” Garrity said. “The attitude was completely different from his junior year to his senior year. When you look at what’s changed, why would this attitude change? … The only thing that changed was (Mahan's) outspoken advocacy.”

Garrity and the school eventually agreed to a payment plan that would allow Mahan to take his exams and have his transcripts released, pending the court decision. She said the entire second semester felt like a series of battles with the school, between the tuition and the meetings with officials over her son's advocacy.

He leaves next week for Lindenwood University in Missouri, where he’ll study musical theater and wrestle.

Fleming, of the archdiocese, said the tuition dispute had nothing to do with Mahan's advocacy or involvement in Shelly's Voice.

"Roncalli High School has a standard process it follows for tuition assistance and scholarships," she said.

Call IndyStar education reporter Arika Herron at (317) 201-5620 or email her at Arika.Herron@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter: @ArikaHerron.