Teachers at Catholic high schools ink contract after close vote

The move capped a contentious fight over the extent to which their private lives could be linked to their jobs, after Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone initially proposed adding morality clauses to the contract and an employee handbook.

The new contract states that “the purpose of Catholic schools is to affirm Catholic values through the Gospel of Jesus Christ” and that teachers “are expected to support the purpose of our Catholic schools in such a way that their personal conduct will not adversely impact their ability to teach in our Catholic high schools.”

The clauses said sex outside marriage, homosexual relations, the viewing of pornography and masturbation are “gravely evil” and opposed contraception and abortion as well.

A key reason many teachers opposed the contract was their belief that Cordileone could still fire or punish them for a number of alleged offenses, from being gay to having a child through artificial insemination.

In a statement, Cordileone said he appreciated that “the negotiations included a rich discussion about the mission and purpose of Catholic education and the vital role that our high school teachers play in carrying out that mission.”

The contract gives teachers a 2 percent raise each year of the three-year contract, as well as some assurance of job protection, even if their private lives don’t line up with church teachings.