US Department of Justice supports Indianapolis Archdiocese in firing of gay teacher [View all]

The Justice Department on Friday issued a Statement of Interest in support of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in its ongoing dispute with a former Catholic school teacher who alleges he was wrongfully terminated because he was in a same-sex marriage. The United States has a "substantial interest in religious liberty," the Justice Department says.

Joshua Payne-Elliott is currently suing the archdiocese, alleging that it illegally interfered with his contractual and employment relationship with Cathedral High School, causing Cathedral to terminate him.

But in it's statement, the DOJ said that the First Amendment protects the right of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis to interpret and apply Catholic doctrine.

It was not immediately clear how binding the DOJ's statement is, or what impact it will have on Payne-Elliott's suit.

Read more: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/education/2019/09/27/u-s-justice-department-supports-archdiocese-gay-teachers-firing/3791560002/