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Lawyer: Another Roncalli counselor loses job due to same-sex marriage

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A second Roncalli High School guidance counselor will lose her job due to her same-sex marriage, according to her attorney.

Lynn Starkey, co-director of guidance at Roncalli, says that her contract won’t be renewed for the next school year. Her attorney, Kathleen DeLaney, said the school notified Starkey earlier this month that her same-sex civil union was a breach of her written employment agreement.

Her attorney previously filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in November. The complaint was filed after the school suspended Shelly Fitzgerald, also the co-director of guidance with Starkey. Fitzgerald will also be losing her job due to her same-sex marriage.

The attorney has now amended that complaint.

Starkey also intends to sue the Archdiocese and Roncalli High School.

Starkey has worked at the school for 39 years and was named Teacher of the Year in 2009.

News 8 has reached out to the school for a comment.

Statement

The Archdiocese of Indianapolis:

“Contracts for school ministerial positions are one (1) year contracts. The contract specifically states: ‘This contract is not automatically renewable. The School Guidance Counselor has no right to, or the promise of a contract exceeding the school year.’

“Ms. Starkey is currently in breach of her contract with Roncalli High School, because she is in a civil union that is considered ‘contrary to a valid marriage as seen through the eyes of the Catholic Church.’

“The 2019-2020 contract language will contain the same language. Therefore, Ms. Starkey could not in good faith enter into the contract so long as she is unable to abide by the terms of the contract.”