In a first-of-its-kind decision, a Massachusetts Superior Court judge has ruled that Fontbonne Academy, a Catholic girls’ high school, discriminated against Matthew Barrett on the basis of sexual orientation and sex when it rescinded its offer of the job of food services manager to him because he is married to another man. The court ruled that Fontbonne had clearly and directly violated the Massachusetts nondiscrimination law; was not exempt from the law; and had no constitutional defenses against its discriminatory conduct. The decision can be read here.

The case, Barrett kont Akademi Fontbonne, brought by GLAD, seeks to enforce the nondiscrimination laws that are vitally important to our civil society and to push back against attempts by religiously-affiliated institutions to expand their ability to free themselves from the obligations of the nondiscrimination laws.

“Religiously-affiliated organizations do not get a free pass to discriminate against gay and lesbian people,” said Bennett Klein, GLAD Senior Attorney. “When Fontbonne fired Matt from a job that has nothing to do with religion, and simply because he is married, they came down on the wrong side of the law.”

“I’m ecstatic,” said Barrett. “What happened to me was wrong, and I truly hope it doesn’t happen to anyone else.”

Nan rejte reklamasyon konstitisyonèl Fontbonne yo ki deklare dwa pou egzèse lib relijyon ak asosyasyon ekspresyon, Jij Asosye Douglas H. Wilkins te ekri, "Eta a gen yon enterè konvenkan pou entèdi diskriminasyon kont moun ki istorikman dezavantaje," site ka ki soti nan Lakou Siprèm Etazini an ki abòde diskriminasyon rasyal ak sèks. Li te kontinye, "Enterè sa a raman pi fò pase nan kontèks travay la ..."

Barrett was born and raised in a Catholic family. He has worked in the food services industry for 20 years, and lives in Dorchester with his husband Ed Suplee.

Anplis Klein, Barrett gen reprezantan li pa avoka GLAD, Gary Buseck, ak fondatè GLAD, John Ward.