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Partly Cloudy Community protests firing of Maria Regina teacher
Michael Califano, a third-grade teacher at Maria Regina Catholic School in Seaford, claims he was fired from his job after the Diocese of Rockville Centre was made aware of pictures on social media of him kissing his boyfriend.
Califano, 26, said that he met with the school’s pastor and a diocese representative on Dec. 27, who informed him that he had violated a handbook policy about adhering to Catholic values, and that his employment had been terminated after more than 18 months with the school.
Califano said that while he is gay, he leads a Catholic lifestyle, and is an active participant in the church. While he and a number of parents who say they were aware of his sexuality fought against the diocese’s decision to terminate him, it is believed that Bishop John Barres upheld it.
In response, several parents created a social media page demanding Califano’s reinstatement. His aunt also started an online petition calling on Barres and Pamela Sanders, superintendent of the diocesan schools, to reinstate him. The petition had more than 4,300 signatures as of press time.
Diocese representatives did not answer questions about the circumstances of Califano’s firing.
“For privacy reasons, we do not comment publicly on personnel matters, but we can say that the school did not end Mr. Califano’s employment over his sexuality,” diocese spokesman Sean Dolan said in an email.
Parents, colleagues, friends and family members gathered outside St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre on Dec. 29, waving signs and chanting, “Love is love” in support of reinstating Califano.
“I just want my job back,” Califano said. “I want to be with my kids. I was more than just a teacher there. I graduated from there. My dad graduated from there. My aunts and uncles graduated from there.”
According to Califano, the diocese was made aware of his sexuality and that his social media accounts were private. He said that it wasn’t a concern until an anonymous letter was sent to Barres.
“All of my social media is private, but my partner’s was not at the time,” Califano said. “They had to have been digging for a while whoever it was. Or, they knew of me and I did something to upset them. But, I don’t know.”
His mother, Jackie Califano, said school officials fought for him to stay, but the decision was ultimately the bishop’s to make.
“He said it goes against Catholic ethics,” she said. “It’s just ridiculous … You go to Catholic school your whole life and you’re taught to love everyone as God loves you and the Bishop didn’t show that with his decision.”
Despite the decision, Michael Califano says he bears no ill will toward his school or his parish, and that he hopes to stay in contact with his co-workers — even if he doesn’t end up going back to work there. He declined to comment on whether he might seek redress through the courts.
Lori Prisco, an eighth-grade teacher at Maria Regina, said Califano was one of her students when he was younger, and that she came out to support him as both a friend and a colleague. She worked closely with Califano as co-directors of the school play, and she encouraged him to take the teaching job.
“What was done here is just a travesty,” Prisco said. “And it’s not that Michael did anything wrong. He was fired for something someone else posted on their social media.”
Aaron Lohman, who has a son in the first grade at the school, says he’s known the Califano family for many years.
“He was one of the main reasons I chose to bring my son to that school,” Lohman said. “It’s very disheartening to me, and I’m willing to pull my son out (of the school) because of this decision, if it’s not reversed.”
Califano, who grew up in Wantagh, now lives in Bellmore. He is the son of Nassau County Police Department officer Michael Califano Sr., who died in the line of duty when a truck hit his patrol car during a traffic stop along the Long Island Expressway in 2011.
The truck driver was apparently asleep at the wheel, and pleaded guilty to reckless driving. The Glen Cove Road Bridge over the LIE was named in the senior Califano’s memory soon after the incident.
Additional reporting by Charles Shaw
