RESOURCE INFORMATION

COPY of the 2014-2105 Teacher-Minister Contract 
COPY of the 2013-2014 Certified Teacher Contract
COPY of the 2012 Supreme Court Ruling - HOSANNA-TABOR EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH AND SCHOOL v. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION ET AL

LETTERS
COPY of the April 28,2014 Letter from Attn T. Garry to Archbishop Schnurr
COPY of the May 1, 2014 Reply to Attn. T. Garry from R. Reid (on behalf of Archbishop Schnurr)




 Greater Cincinnati Open Letter to our Membership and Supporters

Greetings from Cincinnati VOTF,

We want you to know that we are currently working with other concerned Catholics in the Cincinnati community that are opposed to the wording of the new "teacher-minister" contracts that covers over 2000 teachers in the Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.  After discussion with those spearheading this effort we are joining them in support of the teachers.

We thought you may want a "heads up" in this regard since there are currently petitions on-line addressing the issue. A local Cincinnati petition that was started late last week addresses the lack of fairness for the many dedicated teachers that will be placed in the untenable position of either living a "lie", or working in a atmosphere of "don't ask, don't tell" for fear of being fired without any legal recourse. The impact on our teachers and the unhealthy learning environment generated by the constructs of the contract are likely to have devastating long term effects on our Catholic school system.

http://www.change.org/petitions/archdiocese-of-cincinnati-we-urge-immediate-withdrawal-of-the-revised-morality-clause-in-the-teacher-contract​

Cincinnati VOTF has designated a "teacher fairness fund" to help collect monies for the local effort to get advertising about the issue. Currently the intent is to purchase billboard space, although other options may come into play. The group spearheading this effort includes many long time members of the Cincinnati VOTF who see a real problem with the lack of willingness of Archbishop Schnurr to meet and dialog about the issues. The teachers are now scared into silence. Pastors are afraid to speak out as well... the local Catholic newspaper the Catholic Telegraph  stopped accepting letters to the editor a year or so back--- leaving no options for feedback outside the mainstream media.

Last week several folks gathered downtown for a prayer vigil in support of the teachers and delivered copies of the petition to Archbishop Schnurr's office. 

The Cincinnati Enquirer has been following the issue on and off for the past few weeks with articles and editorial comments.

We have attached for your information a copy of the new 2014-15 "teacher-minister" contract, a copy of the 2013-2014 "certified teacher" contract and a copy of the US Supreme Court decision that impacts the status of "ministers" and the loss of legal recourse if they are dismissed from faith communities.  There have been at least three instances of teacher's getting fired in Cincinnati in past few years that are specific to the added "morality" clauses. Please read the attached 2014-2015 "teacher-minister" contract for specifics of the expanded "morality clause".

Also -- FYI - the issues in the morality clause include how the church addresses the LGBT community. There is a national petition that has generated over 20,000 responses about the Cincinnati diocese's teacher contract  that prohibits the teacher's from either publicly engaging in or publicly supporting any of the listed behaviors --including homosexual lifestyle. This petition was generated by http://www.faithfulamerica.org/

We hope this information is helpful - so that you can have some understanding of the depth of issues and challenges we are facing in the Cincinnati diocese this Easter season. Please keep Cincinnati in your prayers.

Cincinnati VOTF Coordinating Committee

Teacher Fairness Initiative

Email: info@votfcincinnati.org

 April/May 2014

Keep the Faith, Change the Church   

May 2014:  Teacher Fairness Initiative 

 Greater Cincinnati  VOTF joins with others in the community opposing the terms of the new Catholic Teacher-Minister Contract. This is one of 12 billboards currently in place around the city.

Donations in support of this initiative can be sent to:

Greater Cincinnati VOTF/Teacher Fairness Fund

2601 Montchateau Drive

Cincinnati, OH 45244

Thank You.

Greater Cincinnati VOTF is a 501(c)3 non profit 

 

  UPCOMING :

Cincinnati Catholic Teacher Contract is focus of a segment on CNN 

Friday May 30th   7PM-8PM

Erin Burnet--- OUT FRONT

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    "Would Pope Francis

Sign the New

Catholic Teacher Contract?"

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