Lesbian teacher fired from Miami Catholic school after marrying 'love of my life'

Jocelyn Morfii married the love of her life and was fired by her school.

ByABC News
February 11, 2018, 11:03 PM

— -- Jocelyn Morfii married the love of her life -- and was fired by the Catholic school where she taught.

Morfii, who worked as an elementary school teacher at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School in Miami for seven years, was terminated Thursday -- one day after marrying another woman in Key Largo, ABC station WPLG reported.

In a letter by the school principal Carlota Morales, she informed parents of the "difficult and necessary decision" to let go of Morfii.

The short letter named the teacher but omitted details as to why Morfii was no longer a member the Saints Peter and Paul faculty.

It simply stated that "she is no longer teaching at our school."

But a day after Morfii was dismissed, she posted an Instagram message that explained her side: "This weekend I married the love of my life and unfortunately I was terminated from my job as a result... In their eyes, I'm not the right kind of Catholic for my choice of partner."

A Miami Archdiocese spokeswoman concluded that Morfii "broke the contract she signed when she began teaching at a Catholic school."

That contract, acquired by ABC News, includes a "Standards of Conduct" section that suggests every employee must "conduct themselves in a moral and ethical manner consistent with Catholic principles."

It goes on to warn that "because of the Church's particular function in society, certain conduct, inconsistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church, could lead to disciplinary action, including termination, even if it occurs outside the normal working day and outside the strict confines of work performed by the employee for the Archdiocese."

"The way they handled this was just unbelievable," Christina Lopez, whose son was one of Morfii's students, said while standing next to other outraged parents who assembled outside the school on Friday morning.

"You know, to be a Catholic, you're taught to be forgiving. But if you're gay, forget about it," said Cynthia Cini, another parent. "Love is love."

Morfii's attorney, Erica Canas, told WPLG she is weighing a possible legal recourse.

ABC News' Ben Stein contributed to this report.

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