By Lyndsey Kelly
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

 WASHINGTON, D.C., United States of America – Barbara Webb, a 33-year-old, former chemistry teacher at an all-girls Catholic high school in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan claims that she was recently fired after announcing her nontraditional pregnancy. Webb has been with her partner, Kristen Lasecki, for five years, and  learned of her pregnancy in June. She notified her employer in July, and was subsequently fired mid-August.

Webb worked for Marian High School in Bloomfield Hills for nine years. She was an active staff member and went beyond her duties as a chemistry teacher by becoming the school’s volleyball and softball coach, and student-government moderator.  On 27 August, Webb took to Facebook to announce her termination. She says that she believed the visible nature of her pregnancy led to her firing. After learning of her termination, hundreds of supporters gathered at the school on Sunday afternoon to support Webb. Among them were students, parents, and alumni.

Webb told the media that after hearing of her pregnancy the school’s administration gave her a choice between resigning, being fired, or continuing the semester without discussing what happened. The school’s president, Sister Lenore Pochelshi, was contacted for a comment regarding Webb’s termination, and she confirmed that Webb’s employment at the school ended on 19 August, but declined to comment any further. Webb announced that her last conversation with administrators made it clear that the school had growing concern over the morality of Webb’s lifestyle choices.

Webb states that she felt compelled to let people know the truth behind her termination, which is why she took the issue to Facebook. Webb posted, “My job can’t be saved, but the torment that the poor LGBT students at Marian must be feeling, the other LGBT staff, and those that are silenced by fear can be helped.” Webb feels that her termination goes beyond just a mere differing of opinions regarding her lifestyle choices, and says that this is a human-rights issue.

Last year the United States Supreme Court stuck down parts of the federal Defense of Marriage Act Since that time, approximately 30 state and federal courts have ruled against bans on same-sex marriage. Currently, a United States Court of Appeals is due to rule on same-sex marriage bans in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

 

For more information, please see the following:

CHICAGO TRIBUNE –  Lesbian Teacher Says Fired By Detroit Catholic School Over Pregnancy – 7 Sept. 2014.

DETROIT FREE PRESS – Gay Teacher At Marian High School Says Pregnancy Got Her Fired – 3 Sept. 2014.

LGBTQNATION – Lesbian Teacher Says Pregnancy Got Her Fired From Catholic School – 3 Sept. 2014.

REUTERS – Lesbian Teacher Says Fired By Detroit Catholic School Over Pregnancy – 7 Sept. 2014.