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Court Throws Out Gay Teacher’s Discrimination Lawsuit Against Indianapolis Archdiocese

By Eric Weddle, IPB News | Published on in Community, Education, Faith and Religion, Law
The Archdiocese of Indianapolis has maintained the Constitution allows religious organizations to determine rules for employees. WFYI News

A lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Indianapolis that accused the church of forcing a school to fire a teacher because of his same-sex marriage was dismissed.

Joshua Payne-Elliott filed a lawsuit against the Archdiocese in 2019 after he was terminated from his longtime job as a teacher at Cathedral High School. The Catholic Church does not support gay marriage.

A trial court initially ruled that the lawsuit could continue…but the Indiana Supreme Court said the court could reconsider. Last week a Marion County Superior Court judge cited the state Supreme Court when he reviewed and threw out the case.

An attorney for the Archdiocese called the ruling an affirmation of the freedom of religious schools. Payne-Elliott has said the intent of the lawsuit was to end the targeting of LGBTQ employees and their families.