Skip to content
Education
Link copied to clipboard

Principal of Main Line Catholic school who fired gay teacher resigns

Nell Stetser, who as principal of Waldron Mercy Academy last year fired a teacher because she was in a same-sex marriage - spurring outraged parents to withdraw their students, sign a petition, and march on the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's headquarters - said in an email Friday that she was stepping down at the end of the year.

Nell Stetser, who as principal of Waldron Mercy Academy last year fired a teacher because she was in a same-sex marriage - spurring outraged parents to withdraw their students, sign a petition, and march on the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's headquarters - said in an email Friday that she was stepping down at the end of the year.

Stetser said it was a personal decision, made after five years as head of the private Catholic school on the Main Line. She did not mention the controversy that erupted after she fired Margie Winters on June 22, 2015, as director of religious education over her relationship with a woman. Winters said she had told the school about the relationship when she was hired eight years before.

Within minutes of Stetser's email to parents, Kimberly M. Baxter, chair of the school's board of trustees, sent out another email saying that Stetser told the board she was resigning at its meeting Wednesday night.

She thanked Stetser for her leadership and called her a "true woman of Mercy" who has "led our school with great integrity."

She referred to "the many challenges and difficult decisions through which Nell has had to shepherd Waldron Mercy Academy. We recognize that much pain still exists among the Waldron family in regards to the difficult decision that led to the loss of a beloved teacher, colleague and friend. It is our hope that this community can continue in the healing process, so that together we can maintain the wonderful traditions that have made Waldron the special place that it is."

The school and the Sisters of Mercy, the religious order that sponsors it, said at the time that Waldron Mercy's Catholic identity could have been put at risk if it did not follow the church's teachings on same-sex marriage.

Stetser said then that she was "shaken" by the firing, and arranged for parents of the school's 532 students to attend small group meetings with a facilitator to talk about the situation.

But parents threatened to withdraw students, and 23,000 people signed a petition urging the school to reinstate Winters. Winters and 50 supporters hand-delivered the petition to the Philadelphia Archdiocese's Center City offices. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said the school's administrators showed "character and common sense" in letting Winters go.

Stetser and school officials did not return calls for comment.

kboccella@phillynews.com

610-313-8232

@Kathy_Boccella