Archdiocese responds to petition signed by 20,000 in support of fired gay teacher

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Philadelphia Archdiocese received a petition Monday signed by more than 20,000 people in support of a fired catholic school teacher.

Margie Winters lost her job at Waldron Mercy Academy because of her same-sex marriage.

Today's petition is asking Archbishop Charles Chaput not to get involved with staffing decisions at Catholic schools.

Winters also had this request: "We ask for full inclusion at the table. And in the church. And we ask now for a moratorium on firing any LGBT employee."

The Archdiocese responded today, saying Waldron Mercy does not fall under its administrative reach because it is a private Catholic school. However, it reiterated that Archbishop Chaput does support the decision to fire Winters.

The statement from the Archdiocese's director of communications, Kenneth Gavin, reads as follows:

"The basis of the petition itself is problematic. As has been noted several times, Waldron Mercy is a private Catholic school and does not fall under the administrative purview of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It's wrong for any individual or group to perpetuate the falsehood that the Archbishop interfered with the school's personnel decisions.

That being said, Archbishop Chaput continues to fully support the decision made by the leadership of Waldron Mercy. He remains grateful to the Religious Sisters of Mercy and to the principal and board members of Waldron Mercy for taking the steps to ensure that the Catholic faith is presented in a way fully in accord with the teaching of the Church. Schools describing themselves as Catholic take on the responsibility of teaching and witnessing the Catholic faith in a manner true to Catholic belief. The petition being presented does not change that stance."