Students walk out in support of equality (PETITION)

Earlier this week, newspapers reported that a teacher in Des Moines had been denied a job after the diocese found out from his Facebook profile that he's gay. Call To Action staff contacted the diocese for clarification and received a candid response: "Recently, an individual applied for a full-time position and, after the entire application process based on the foregoing expectations was completed, a formal written contract wasn’t extended owing to a personal situation that was at odds with Church teaching. It came to the school’s attention through the social media scan that the applicant is in a same-sex relationship and is engaged." Students organized a walk out to show that they don't support the discrimination done in the name of their education. Grace, a sophomore at Dowling who helped organize the witness, told reporters the event was an important statement that "just because our school officials or diocesan leaders might have made this decision, it does not directly reflect what we believe as students."

The students plan to continue their actions in order to make their school a safer space for their LGBTQ classmates. They plan to wear rainbow gear this week and hope to create a Gay-Straight Alliance. "By openly discriminating against LGBT faculty, Dowling Catholic High School has directly created a hostile and discriminatory environment for LGBT students. They can change this by allowing an LGBT support club to form." they explain.  

You can help by signing their petition to school officials, asking that students be allowed to form an LGBT student club.About 200 students and alumni showed up for the walk out on Wednesday, which was planned in less than 24 hours. "After beginning with prayer, students, alumni, and other supporters came up to address the group with encouragements, love, and the spirit to make a change." Says Grace, "We had students come out as gay and bisexual, and I felt like I could cry with happiness, knowing that these students knew they had their classmates and community supporting them and loving them. It was truly a life-changing event."

Show your support for these amazing students and the powerful witness of Catholic values they've shown!  You can share your message to them using the hashtag #DowlingCares and stay tuned for updates as they work to create a better school and Church!