Court Upholds Religious School’s Employment Freedom

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CHICAGO, IL – A unanimous federal appeals court recently upheld the right of a religious school to make employment decisions consistent with core religious beliefs. A three-judge panel ruled that Roncalli High School under the Archdiocese of Indianapolis was entitled to the ministerial exception and was within its right when it fired a guidance counselor who revealed she was in a “same-sex marriage” contrary to the school’s biblical views on marriage.

In 2019, the Catholic Roncalli High School chose not to renew the contract for its co-director of guidance after she had notified the school the previous year that she was in a same-sex marriage, which ran contrary to her contract to uphold the school’s mission that marriage is between “one man and one woman.” Shortly thereafter, the counselor sued Roncalli contending that the school violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by firing her for being in a same-sex marriage.

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed that claim, stating the ministerial exception allows religious institutions to determine their own employment guidelines for employees whose jobs involve religious duties or ministry.