Why was teacher awarded $2 million against the Church for “hurt feelings”?

Pat Smith

Last year a federal district court jury awarded a former Catholic school teacher nearly $2 million over “hurt feelings.” Apparently, her feelings were hurt when her contract was not renewed due to her violation of Church teaching.  She engaged in vitro fertilization after being warned that it was against Church teaching and violated her contract. When she continued with the IVF treatment, despite the warnings, she was allowed to work out her contract, but the contract was not renewed.

The teacher sued and the jury awarded her nearly $2 million.  Tuesday we will dissect the case with a local labor lawyer, Pat Smith, a parishioner at St. Augustin Parish in Des Moines.  

After that discussion we’ll make our monthly visit with our media critic, Todd Erzen, about how the mainstream media is covering the major religious issues of the day.

Todd Erzen

Join Deacon Mike Manno and co-host Gina Noll for a lively discussion of our religious freedoms every Tuesday at 9 a.m. (CST) on Iowa Catholic Radio 1150 AM; 88.5 & 94.5 FM and streaming on IowaCatholicRadio.com. The program is re-broadcast at 9 p.m. except when pre-empted by Dowling Catholic basketball.

Faith On Trial is sponsored by Attorney Rick McConville, Coppola, McConville, Coppola, Carroll, Hockenberg & Scalise PC 2100 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, 453-1055 and Confluence Brewing Company, off the Bike Trail just south of Grey’s Lake, 1235 Thomas Beck Road where there is live music in the taproom every Thursday evening.