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Gold9472
10-15-2005, 08:56 PM
Teacher fired for prior work at abortion clinic

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Teacher_fired_for_work_at_abortion_1015.html

10/15/2005

Officials from Loretto High School, a Catholic high school in Sacramento, announced on Friday that a drama teacher had been fired for her previous volunteer work at an abortion clinic, RAW STORY has learned.

Marie Bain was terminated after a student's parent sent pictures to the head of the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento which showed her escorting patients into a Planned Parenthood clinic last spring before being hired to teach at the school in August. The Sacramento Bee reported that Bishop William K. Weigand wrote a letter on October 5th to the president of the all-female school urging the teacher's dismissal.

"Obviously, the very public nature of Ms. Bain's previous volunteer activity at a Planned Parenthood Clinic is inconsistent with her position as a teacher at a Catholic high school and her role as a collaborator in the formation of Catholic women," Weigand wrote. "Abortion is gravely immoral and Ms. Bain's active and public participation in the procurement of abortions is morally inappropriate and unacceptable with regard to her work as a teacher at Loretto."

Reached at home Friday night, Bain acknowledged that she had been fired and that she had volunteered at Planned Parenthood before taking the Loretto job.

"There are many things I would love to say, but I don't want to jeopardize anything. I am pursuing many avenues," she said.

In July, a letter to The Bee signed Marie Bain of Sacramento voiced opposition to laws requiring teens to notify parents if they have an abortion.

"Like it or not, teens get pregnant," the letter stated. "And the most important issue is keeping them safe. Safe means access to reliable health care, not gut-wrenching red tape."

She volunteered weekly for about nine months for Planned Parenthood, greeting patients and ushering them past anti-abortion protesters who frequently demonstrate outside clinics, said Katharyn McLearan, director of public affairs for the local Planned Parenthood Mar Monte.

"We have protesters who hold very graphic signs and are very intimidating, and they sometimes come up to patients' cars," said McLearan. "She was there to be a friendly face and address their concerns.

"It is concerning to us that people are targeting their employment just for being involved," said McLearan, who said Bain contacted Planned Parenthood on Friday to inform the agency of her termination.