Overview

• On June 25 the school notified Mark Richards that his contract would not be renewed for the 2025–26 year under an annual morality clause.
• The nonrenewal follows a parent’s report of an obituary naming Richards as the spouse of his late husband, John Messinger.
• More than 4,500 people have signed a petition calling on the Archdiocese of New Orleans to revise teacher morality clauses.
• Richards is exploring new teaching opportunities and evaluating possible legal challenges to his dismissal.
• Critics say the clause, standard under the Archdiocese of New Orleans, conflicts with marriage equality protections for LGBTQ staff.