School Fires Beloved Teacher After Husband’s Obituary Surfaces

After two decades of service, a well-respected Catholic school teacher has been fired — not for performance, misconduct, or neglect, but because of who he loved.

Mark Richards, a longtime music teacher at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, was abruptly dismissed after a parent stumbled across the obituary of his late husband and reported it to the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The complaint accused Richards of violating the school’s strict “morality clause” — a policy critics say is dangerously out of step with modern American values.

“I gave my life to that school,” Richards told local station WDSU. “This wasn’t just a job — it was a calling. And now I’ve been cast out for mourning the man I loved.”

A Life of Devotion — Then a Sudden Dismissal

Richards married John Messinger in 2014, years before the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. The couple shared their life in quiet dignity — until Messinger died of a heart attack in 2023.

The teacher never made his relationship a focus of his job, but when a parent read the obituary in May, it triggered a firestorm. The parent allegedly accused Richards of “lying” about his personal life and violating the school’s contract, which requires staff to adhere to a religious code of conduct that prohibits, among other things, “homosexual activity,” abortion, and having children outside of marriage.

Richards said school leaders had always known he was gay. “I haven’t hidden who I am,” he said. “But because I signed that morality clause each year, they say I lied. That’s their reason. But for the last two years, I’ve lived alone with three dogs. How is that immoral?”

The Clause That Cost Him His Career

The Archdiocese of New Orleans declined to speak about the dismissal, but St. Francis Xavier later sent an email to parents confirming Richards “is not returning” for the 2025-2026 school year. “We apologize for the way in which you received this news,” the message read. “No administrator or faculty member is guaranteed a contract for more than one year.”

But for many families, that explanation wasn’t good enough.

Parents Push Back

In a show of solidarity, more than 1,500 parents and supporters have signed a petition demanding the school amend its morality clause.

“Your identity is not your morality,” said parent Katheryn Lee. “The line targeting homosexuality needs to go. It doesn’t belong in a school that claims to teach Christian values.”

Lee, like many others, said Richards made a deep and lasting impact on students. “He wasn’t just a teacher. He helped my daughter find her confidence through music. This decision sends a harmful message to all our kids — that love can get you fired.”

A Church Struggling to Adapt

The firing underscores a long-running tension between LGBTQ+ rights and Catholic education. While the Church officially teaches respect and compassion for gay individuals, it continues to uphold doctrine that condemns same-sex relationships. Schools like St. Francis Xavier enforce that doctrine through employment contracts, often forcing LGBTQ+ staff into the closet — or out the door.

St. Francis Xavier’s official mission states that it seeks to foster a “Christian way of thought and life” through every aspect of the student experience. Yet many now question whether that mission has lost touch with the values of compassion and inclusion.

As for Richards, he says he’s heartbroken but not defeated. “If I could go back and do it all over again, I would. I loved those kids. I loved that community. But now I just hope this moment sparks a change — not just for me, but for every teacher who has to choose between truth and employment.”

Whether the school will reconsider its policy remains unclear. But one thing is certain: the quiet firing of a grieving teacher has sparked a very loud conversation.