SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Nov. 12 (UPI) -- A lesbian teacher says she was forced out by a Catholic university in Illinois after her wedding announcement appeared in the Springfield newspaper.
Laine Tadlock, 60, told the Chicago Tribune she was asked to retire early from Benedictine University at Springfield after the announcement ran in The State Journal-Register.
After the announcement of their June wedding in Iowa, Tadlock and Kae Helmstrom received many congratulations, but not from the school, Tadlock said. University President William Carroll asked her on Aug. 27 to retire early, she told the Tribune.
This week, the university said it did not terminate Tadlock's employment. She continued to receive full pay and benefits, and was assigned a new position, the university said.
Tadlock said she declined the new job, which administrators said they viewed as a resignation.
"The university, for valid and lawful reasons, decided that it would not be consistent with the university's mission as a Catholic institution of higher learning for Tadlock to continue in the office of program director of its education program," Illinois Benedictine at Springfield said in statement.
