Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend establishes funds to pay off fired teacher

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend this week opened a bank account to pay off a judgement against it to a former language arts teacher who was fired after seeking several in vitro fertilization treatments.

In a filing this week in United States District Court, the diocese said it has opened an account and deposited $444,184.16, enough to pay the $403,607.33 it owes to Emily Herx plus interest.

According to 24-Hour News 8 sister station, WANE, Herx taught at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School. In 2012 she filed a federal gender discrimination case against the diocese after her contract wasn’t renewed, arguing the diocese treated male teachers in similar situations differently than her and that she had been discriminated against because she had tried to become pregnant by vitro fertilization.

The diocese claimed it chose not to renew Herx’s contract because she violated the church teachings by undergoing the procedure, and not because she tried to become pregnant. Diocese attorneys said Roman Catholic Church teachings condemn in vitro fertilization and consider it gravely evil.

A jury sided with Herx in December, and she was awarded $1.9 million in damages. A judge reduced the award to $543,803 in January, and the pay-out was cut again in August to $403,608.

While the diocese filed an appeal, which has yet to be heard by the federal court, it still must comply with the judge’s order to organize payment for Herx.