When an educator refuses to follow Church teachings

by Mary Beth Barry

What would you do if you had an educator who refused to follow Church teachings?

Recently a friend, who is an educator at a Catholic school, mentioned to me that she has students who request that they be addressed with pronouns contrary to their biology. This person said she honors the wishes of these student as she feels it is respectful of the student’s feelings. When I asked, “isn’t that in violation of your school’s teaching” she responded, “maybe, but I don’t care.”

This conversation made me consider what I would do if this employee issue came up at a place where I was a HR leader.

My first instinct was to tackle this issue from a traditional HR perspective. That would mean investigating, mediating, counseling, training and disciplining or terminating the employee as needed. While some of those steps may still apply to this or a similar situation, I realized that being called to work for a Catholic organization requires HR leaders to look at employment-related issues through more than a traditional lens.

 

Consider our Catholic social teachings when handling employee issues.

Why is this important? Catholic social teaching provides a framework for respectful dialogue with an employee who disagrees with the Church’s teaching on any topic including gender identity issues. One aspect of Catholic social teaching is the dignity of the human person, which demands respect for every individual, regardless of their beliefs or practices. Ultimately, conversations with employees should be respectful, open-minded, and grounded in principles that prioritize human dignity and the common good.

If a concern from or about an employee is brought to your attention, make sure to follow your protocols for dealing with employee relations issues. These protocols should include:

• Doing your due diligence and conduct appropriate interviews with all who may be involved (the employee, the complainant, witnesses).
• Consult your legal counsel when necessary. They should be aware of most complaints especially if a complaint involves a student/family complaint.
• Listen actively to what each person says. It is important to have a clear understanding of the specific behavior or actions that happened or are causing the problem.
• Make sure you document everything. Include dates of meetings, any witnesses, what is said, what to follow up on.
• Ensure the appropriate leaders are involved in any conversations (their manager, another HR witness, an attorney).

 

When it comes time to converse.

• Remember that those who we are called to serve can often be led to strengthening their religious commitment after they have interacted with or witnessed someone who was an example of spiritual excellence.
• Remind them of their value to your mission. Catholic schools and businesses need employees who support their mission for that business to be what it is and to thrive.
  • We are not expecting our employees to be spiritually perfect. All are invited to experience God’s mercy and love.
  • Remind them they may have significant influence over what gets communicated to others. This can undermine or enrich the values and identity of an organization.
    • Research shows that if someone is unsure of themselves, they are more likely to look around at what other people are doing and imitate the most common behavior.
    • Most human behavior is learned by observing modeled behaviors. Staff will be influenced by what they, and those around them, are doing and saying.
    • Young adults especially are impacted by conversations with and support from adults.
  • Reference your organization’s mission, values, teachings and purpose and where those statements can be found (your Catholic identity should be in everything from your website to your employment documents like your health plan, handbooks and job descriptions).
  • Model Catholic values-Remember that we are not called to judge others, be respectful, compassionate and speak with a pastoral heart.
  • Acknowledge good intentions and that they come from a good heart.
    • Consider that they may have a personal reason for that decision (are they in conflict with a teaching or in the above case, they had a child struggling with their gender identity).
  • Review applicable policies with them (code of conduct, conflict resolution, harassment etc.).
    • Provide training where needed. This might be a good time to reorient them on any previous training they have had or look for new training materials.
  • Use this as teaching moment—often what drives people to say or do things not aligned with Catholic values is that they are uncertain about the why/facts/message behind those teachings.
    • While we want to familiarize ourselves and teach our peers about our Catholic values, we need to change the way that we speak to them. Don’t just quote scripture, explain the why behind the teachings.
      • For example, The Catholic Church teaches that every human person is created in the image and likeness of God and has inherent dignity and worth. The Church also teaches that God created human beings male and female, and that gender is an essential aspect of our identity that is determined by biology and cannot be changed. It is neither loving nor compassionate to affirm someone in a mistaken identity.

 

Are you in need of a more detailed response on what to say when faced with this or other challenging questions around the Catholic teachings? Stay tuned. CBA is planning to offer a series of formation modules which will give members guidance on common and trending challenges facing Catholic employers.  

 

What if the employee still refuses to adhere to your mission and policies?

Catholic institutions should offer a unique environment that integrates academic excellence with faith formation, creating a nurturing community that fosters personal growth and character development. Faith-based schools also offer a safe and supportive environment that upholds high standards of behavior and conduct. Catholic school employees should be witnesses to the faith in both their words and actions.

A document from Pope Francis’s Congregation for Catholic Education stresses that Catholic schools have the responsibility for offering Catholic students, over and above a sound knowledge of religion, the possibility to grow in personal closeness to Christ in the Church.

Thus, if your employee’s behavior or actions still are inconsistent with this standard, your mission or values, it may be necessary to take disciplinary action.

Disciplining an employee who disagrees with some Catholic values and teachings can be a sensitive matter, as it may involve personal beliefs and convictions. If the behavior or actions are serious enough to warrant disciplinary action, the employer should follow established procedures and policies, such as progressive discipline. This may involve verbal warnings, written warnings, suspension, or termination, depending on the severity and frequency of the behavior or actions.

It is important to approach disciplinary action with fairness, consistency, and respect for the employee’s dignity, while also ensuring that the organization’s mission and values are upheld.

Remember, CBA is here to support you. If you want guidance on conducting a proper investigation or interview or you want additional guidance on having this or other difficult conversations with your employees, please reach out to us or email marybeth@catholicbenefitsassociation.org