To: The Most Rev. Richard E. Pates, Bishop of Des Moines
Support Tyler McCubbin and Dowling Catholic students fighting discrimination
Anti-gay discrimination is contrary to Catholic teaching and Christian values -- as is encouraging employees to lie and conceal their sexual orientation. Please apologize for the treatment of Tyler McCubbin and adopt a nondiscrimination policy for church workers in your diocese.
Why is this important?
Tyler McCubbin was already a well-liked track coach and substitute teacher at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, so he was excited to be offered a full-time teaching job. But then school administrators found out that he's gay, and abruptly revoked the job offer.
The bishop of Des Moines, Richard Pates, has said that McCubbin wasn't denied the job because he's gay, but because he's been honest and open about it -- even though the Catechism of the Catholic Church says of LGBT people that "every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided."
This week, hundreds of students walked out of class in protest, making national headlines. Let's show our support for Tyler McCubbin and his students, and demand that the church stop encouraging people to conceal their sexual orientation.
The bishop of Des Moines, Richard Pates, has said that McCubbin wasn't denied the job because he's gay, but because he's been honest and open about it -- even though the Catechism of the Catholic Church says of LGBT people that "every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided."
This week, hundreds of students walked out of class in protest, making national headlines. Let's show our support for Tyler McCubbin and his students, and demand that the church stop encouraging people to conceal their sexual orientation.