A Southern California man named Ken Bencomo, 45, was fired from a Catholic high school days after his wedding ceremony to his partner.
Bencomo and his partner Christopher Persky, 32, were one of the first couples to get married on July 1 after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled a ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional.
He had been teaching at a Catholic school for girls for 17 years. Students refer to him as one of the most beloved teachers at St. Lucy’s Priory High School.
Last week, Bencomo’s former students began writing on social media about his absence.
A former student of St. Lucy’s Priory High School, Brittany Littleton, 23, started a petition in order to get Bencomo re-hired. The petition had over 8,500 signatures.
According to the petition:
He is a beloved mentor, confidant, and educator. His passion for teaching, as well as his witty personality, have made him a favorite teacher among many students. He is extremely active at St. Lucy’s; he teaches multiple subjects along with taking on various leadership positions including Yearbook moderator, dance coach, and head of the English Department.
On July 12, Bencomo was notified by Assistant Principal Sister Helen Dziuk that he was going to be fired because his marriage goes against the church’s teachings. Bencomo’s lawyer, Patrick McGarrigle, told HuffPost:
“The happiest day of his life has turned into a nightmare,” McGarrigle said. “He’s sick about it because he has such an affinity for the school. His lifelong efforts have been disrupted. The humiliation hurts him very much.”
Can the man live his life?
Source: Huffington Post
