Assistant Principal Fired for Violating Contract

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City Council candidate Mike Moraski was fired from his position as Assistant Principal at Purcell Marian High School yesterday, after he refused to take down and recant a blog post saying homosexual people should be allowed to marry others of the same sex.

Every year since beginning his employment with a Catholic school in 2001, Moraski has signed a contract that says he will “comply with and act consistently in accordance with the stated philosophy and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.”

A graduate of Catholic elementary and high schools, and Xavier University, Moraski is aware of Catholic teaching about both homosexuality the definition of marriage. A candidate for a degree at the University of Notre Dame, he has worked for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati for 10 years, first at Moeller and, beginning in 2011, at Purcell Marian High School. He plans to begin a fourth degree next year at the University of Dayton, according to his blog (called “Mike Moroski”).

An active volunteer in Over-the-Rhine, where he helped found a non-profit coffee shop, he has won several awards for service. Late last year he began to plan for a 2017 run for Cincinnati City Council, and established his blog in December of 2012 to keep people abreast of developments in the campaign and of his ideas for improving the city.

In the Feb. 4th post, “Pick Your Battles,” Moroski says he does not think the topic of “gay marriage” should divide people: “I wish, often times, that I had enough energy to care (even a little bit) who loved whom and whether or not they got married. My mind is taken up with far too many other things to care if someone wants to marry someone else.”
Moroski continues, however, “I unabashedly believe that gay people SHOULD be allowed to marry. Ethically, morally and legally I believe this. I spend a lot of my life trying to live as a Christian example of love for others, and my formation at Catholic grade school, high school, 3 Catholic Universities and employment at 2 Catholic high schools has informed my conscience to believe that gay marriage is NOT something of which to be afraid.”

Moroski was placed on administrative leave and given what he called an “ultimatum.” He wrote several more posts about his conscience and his convictions, but none about his contract.

“I’m absolutely willing to lose my job over this,” Moroski told a reporter at the Cincinnati Enquirer.

The Archdiocese of Cincinnati said it could not comment on a personnel matter. A letter to parents of Purcell Marian students signed by Dr. Jim Rigg, Director of Educational Services for Schools and Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese, says, “This dismissal was necessitted by public posting on Mr. Moroski’s blog that directly contrdict well-known teachings of the Catholic Church, as well as his subsequent refusal to take down these postings. Thee actions clearly violated both school policy and his employment contract.”