

Dangerous geek Madonna and child

Because Christa Dias wasn’t a religion teacher or Catholic role model, the single teacher’s lawsuit accusing the Archdiocese of Cincinnati of firing her after she became pregnant can proceed…The ruling last week by U.S. District Court Judge S. Arthur Spiegel, clears the way for Dias’ suit to go to trial in a case that could set a national precedent. “I hope that it stops them from doing it again,” Dias said Monday of the Archdiocese firing her in 2010 when she told them she was 5½ months pregnant and needed maternity leave…

Initially, the Archdiocese fired her for being single and pregnant. After it learned that could violate federal and state anti-discrimination laws, it fired her for being artificially inseminated, considered a “gravely immoral” act by the Roman Catholic Church. Dias, 32, of Withamsville was a computer teacher at both Holy Family and St. Lawrence schools in East Price Hill… Because Dias taught at a Catholic school, the Archdiocese argued it should be allowed to fire her using a “ministerial exception” to federal anti-discrimination laws. That exception protects religious institutions that “select and control who will minister to the faithful” from lawsuits. It’s a rule initially adopted to prevent ministers fired by their churches from suing using discrimination laws. Spiegel ruled Dias isn’t a “ministerial exception” because: • She isn’t Catholic. • The Archdiocese employed other non-Catholics. • The Archdiocese didn’t allow non-Catholics to teach religion classes… Even if she wins her suit, Dias doesn’t want to work for the Archdiocese again . “As much as I would love to go back there and work with my kids, with the administrative disdain, I don’t think it’s appropriate,” she said.

Apparently, the Archdiocese doesn’t consider “Thou shalt not lie” important when taken to court over the question of abusing the rights of their employees.