Supreme Court rules on the "ministerial exception"

Description

Abstract: The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod categorizes its teachers in two ways: 1) "called," those regarded as having been called to teach by God, and 2) "lay," everyone else. In one instance, a called teacher was replaced by a lay teacher during disability leave and refused a deal that included her resignation. When she threatened to sue, she was terminated. The school claimed a "ministerial exception" that was protected by the First Amendment. This article explains why the U.S. Supreme Court overturned an appeals court decision that sided with the teacher. Citation: Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. EEOC, No. 10-553, Jan. 11, 2012 (Supreme Court)