BUTTE — A Montana Catholic school teacher who was fired for being pregnant and unmarried has filed a discrimination complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Shaela Evenson taught middle school literature and physical education at Butte Central Schools for 9 years until the Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena dismissed her on Jan. 10 for violating her employment contract, in which she agreed to follow Catholic teachings.
Her attorney, Brian Butler of Ohio, says the complaint was filed earlier this month. He argues an employer can’t require employees to waive their rights under anti-discrimination laws.
The Montana Standard reports (http://bit.ly/1hXWQUC ) Evenson’s son, Brody Tobin Evenson, was born on March 7 in Butte. He’s the first child for Evenson and her partner, Marilyn Tobin.
Both diocese Superintendent Pat Haggarty and Butler told the newspaper that Evenson wasn’t fired for being a lesbian.