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Church says gay teacher fired by Miami Catholic school

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MIAMI (AP) - Church officials say a gay schoolteacher has been fired by a Miami Catholic school after marrying her same-sex partner in an apparent violation of church rules.
    
Archdiocese of Miami officials confirmed to the Miami Herald that first-grade teacher Jocelyn Morffi lost her job at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School on Thursday, the day after she returned from her Florida Keys wedding.
    
Several parents say they were surprised and upset at Morffi's firing. But an archdiocese spokeswoman says Morffi broke her contract under church rules of conduct.
    
Same-sex marriage was legalized in Florida by a 2015 judicial ruling. Florida doesn't have a statewide law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. A Miami-Dade County ordinance that protects LGBT residents from discrimination exempts religious institutions from certain provisions.

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