Parents Protest Firing of Gay Teacher from a Catholic School

Parents are rallying behind a gay music teacher who was recently fired from his job at a New Orleans area Catholic school. 

Mark Richards was a music teacher and band director at St. Francis Xavier,a Catholic grade school in Metairie, Louisiana, for over twenty years. The school elected not to  renew his contract for the upcoming year,  informing Richards that his dismissal came as a result of his violation of the employment contract. 

Mark Richards (left) with late husband John Messinger.

Speaking with WDSU News, Richards said the Archdiocese of New Orleans informed him the contract violation was the fact that he lived with his late husband for several years prior to his death in 2023.  Richards explained that his employment with the school involved signing a morality clause, which included prohibitions against “actively engaging in homosexual activity.” The two-year old obituary of John Messinger, his late husband, was recently brought to the attention of the archdiocese by a school parent, according to NOLA.com.

However, many other parents are rallying around Richards, voicing their support and insisting that the morality clause be changed. A petition has been filed by parents which now has over 1,500 signatures. 

“I would like to see the morality clause change,” said Katheryn Lee, one such concerned parent. “I’m activated. I would like the line regarding homosexuality in the morality clause that educators sign to be removed. Your identity is not your morality. I hope we have a voice in this.”

Kristin Giefer, another parent who has spoken in support of Richards, insists that supporting Richards and other LGBTQ+ individuals is a matter of setting an example for her children and putting her faith into action. She told WDSU:

“So, what I am doing by being vocal about this is something I actually told my family today — that one day, they are going to look back and say, ‘I’m so proud of you, Mom.’ I hope that’s the message I can personally send in my home, one that they will carry into the world. 

“Being homosexual is not a crime. My children and I watched the news yesterday, and they had tears in their eyes. They understood what was happening. They obviously have a million questions because, again, going back to this whole teaching inclusion but practicing exclusion idea, they’re conflicted and asking, ‘Why would the church do that? Why would the church say that? That’s not what Jesus would do.’ It’s not fair. It’s just about human dignity to me. That’s what it comes down to.”

For Rick English, another concerned parent, the circumstances under which Richards was dismissed go against the justice that his Catholic faith demands:

“The whole incident was just shocking…I would like them to really change the morality clause with the archdiocese. I mean, we’re not angry with the school at all. St. Francis is a great institution; it’s a great school. The staff, everyone’s fantastic, especially Mr. Mark. But this morality clause within the archdiocese just has to be reviewed because it’s a violation of human rights. To me, it’s a social injustice at this point.”

This incident provides yet another example of faithful Catholics, intently following the voice of justice and love that speaks within their hearts, supporting and uplifting their LGBTQ+ siblings, who–as evidenced by Richards’ faithful and devoted service to the school– are invaluable members of their community. 

—Phoebe Carstens, New Ways Ministry, June 30, 2025

For further reading:

Cornerstones: Sacred Stories of LGBTQ+ Employees in Catholic Institutions is an anthology of 12 stories of faith, sacrifice, joy, and pain from LGBTQ+ people who have been employed–and sometimes fired–by Catholic parishes and schools. For more information, click here.