Gay teacher fired from Catholic school over picture of him kissing boyfriend settles lawsuit with diocese

A gay third-grade teacher who was fired from a Long Island Catholic school has agreed to settle his federal civil rights lawsuit against the diocese.

Michael Califano had been a teacher at Maria Regina School since September 2022 until he was fired in 2023 after photos surfaced of him kissing his boyfriend.

Califano was told that he had violated the local diocese’s rules regarding “living a Catholic lifestyle.”

He told DailyMail.com that an “anonymous email was sent to the bishop’s official with some photos of my boyfriend and I kissing, which came from my boyfriend’s social media, my account is private.”

Califano said he didn’t blame the school, which knew he was gay when he was hired, but said it came directly from the diocese.

Califano was told he had violated the local diocese’s rules regarding “living a Catholic lifestyle”

In late September, Judge James Wicks rejected the diocese’s and school’s arguments that Califano’s case should be dismissed.

Wicks said the diocese’s defenses “are fraught with factual issues, neither of which leads to the conclusion that … the complaint should be dismissed.”

Wicks also said there is “direct evidence” that Califano was fired because of his sexuality and that the defendants are not addressing the “meritlessness” of the teacher’s claims, reported Newsday.

“The diocese has decided to withdraw its motion to dismiss and allow this case to proceed in the normal course,” said Kathryn Russo, one of the defendants’ attorneys. “The diocese will present its legal arguments to the court in due course at a later stage of the litigation.”

According to Califano, his pastor and principal had always supported his sexual orientation.

He said he didn’t blame the school, which knew he was gay when he was hired, but that it came directly from the diocese.

Califano said Newsday that ‘they said that was why they had found things inappropriate for a Catholic teacher…there is nothing vulgar about that’.

The Diocese of Rockville Center disputed the claims, telling DailyMail.com in a statement: “For privacy reasons, we do not comment publicly on personnel matters, but we can say that the school did not terminate Mr. Califano’s employment because of his sexuality.”

Many parents and community members rallied for Califano’s recovery, and a petition was started on change.org, which has now collected nearly 29,000 signatures.

Many parents and community members rallied for Califano’s recovery, and a petition was started on change.org, which has now collected nearly 29,000 signatures.

The petition stated that Califano was an “immensely loved, dedicated and diligent educator” who had been “wrongfully terminated.”

Califano had strong ties to the school after attending as a young boy and was a parishioner at Maria Regina Roman Catholic Church.

His father, a Nassau County police officer who died in the line of duty in 2011, had also attended the school. Every year, Califano organizes a fundraiser, the proceeds of which go to scholarships in his father’s name.

The petition stated that Califano was an “immensely loved, dedicated and diligent educator” who had been “wrongfully terminated.”

Califano’s mother, Jackie Califano, told DailyMail.com that her son had done nothing wrong.

“He followed all the rules and made his social media private,” she said. “Someone tried to hurt him and violated someone else’s social media.”

She said it has been a rollercoaster of emotions since the ordeal.

“My heart is broken for him,” she said. “This was his passion and seeing all those people and children supporting him shows what kind of person he is.”

Details of the lawsuit have not been made public. It remains unclear whether Califano will be reinstated and allowed to teach at the school again.