Gay teacher wins lawsuit against NC Catholic diocese after fired

A former teacher won a lawsuit against Charlotte Catholic High School and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte on Friday after he lost his job following an announcement on Facebook that he planned to marry his longtime partner, who is also a man.

In the ruling, a district judge said the school and the diocese violated workplace sex discrimination laws in firing Lonnie Billard, a former drama and English teacher. The case now moves to a trial to determine how Billard will be compensated.

Court documents reveal Diocese Communications Director David Hains said Billard was fired for marrying a man and publicly stating on Facebook that he disagrees with the Catholic Church's teachings.

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