I was informed, last night, that one of my teachers had been fired from my high school. I only had this teacher once, he taught freshman French, and even though I got a C+ in his class, he moved me up to the honors track. Though that wasn't the only time that this would happen, he saw in me the ability to do well if I really challenged myself. I'll never forget that.
Mr. Griffin was fired after informing the school of his intention to acquire a marriage license in New Jersey, as Pennsylvania still does not allow for same sex marriages... Oh, did I forget to mention that he was gay, it seems that I did because it should be of no consequence. Unfortunately, for my school, it was of apparently great consequence, so I implore you literally fives of readers, let the school, no, the country know that that is not alright.
It should be noted that this is a Catholic school, so being behind the times in terms of worldview is not completely unexpected, but still.
The news story can be found here.
This is what I wrote to the school. If only I were a better writer.
Mr. Danilak and Fr. McCloskey
Ten years ago, I
entered Holy Ghost Prep a wide eyed and mostly innocent boy of fourteen. From
the second that I walked into Cornwell Hall, I could feel what had been
engrained into my psyche from the moment that I came for a shadow day and
continued to be pounded into my head at orientation. I was home. I had found a
place that was not a community; it was more than that, a family.
The motto “One
heart, one mind” which was repeated incessantly at Ghost helped to shape me
into the person I am today. I expanded that axiom to influence every aspect of
my life and it has helped me develop extreme empathy for those around me. Never
have I looked at the plight of another with jaded malaise because, as my high
school taught me, we are all connected. To turn a blind eye to one person who
has been wronged is to turn a blind eye to all who have been wronged.
That is why I greeted the
information that you terminated one Michael Griffin for pursuing a marriage
with his life partner with a rather heavy heart. Objectively, I can understand
where you were coming from with your decision. I mean, you are a Catholic
institution, and, as such, you need to follow the Church’s doctrine. As of
right now, the Catholic Church only recognizes marriage as valid when it occurs
between a consenting man and woman. To encourage or promote a marriage between
two men (or women) would go against the Church, and that is something that you
can’t do. I get that, I really do.
Regardless, it seems to me that turning Mr. Griffin away
at a time when he was making one of the biggest and hopefully most joy-filled
decisions of his life is in the poorest of taste. It is downright abhorrent.
Though I may be accused of false equivocation, this is no different than
parents disowning their child for the mere fact that they are homosexual. I
always thought of Ghost as my family, but how can I associate with a family who
treats its members as you have treated one of its own that has given so much, over
a decade of his life to further your mission statement.
I
know that one email from a former student will probably get lost amid the
thousands of others containing better worded, more compelling arguments. I just
needed you to know how utterly disappointed I am, and I hope that at least one
of us gets through to you.
I hope you can join us in the 21st
century,
Sean O’Brien ‘07
This was an affront to decency, and I couldn't sit in silence. Spread the word.
And if you'd like to email the principal Mr. Jeff Danilak or the president Fr. James McCloskey, they can be reached at jdanilak@holyghostprep.org and jmccloskey@holyghostprep.org
