Students, alumni and staff at a Catholic High School in Des Moines, Idaho staged a walkout on Wednesday following a decision to not hire a substitute teacher full time once it was discovered that he was gay, reports the Des Moines Register.

On Tuesday, Des Moines Catholic Schools administrators sent a letter to parents explaining the decision was because the applicant’s personal life “was at odds with Church teaching.”

The letter further stated:

“Our contracts contain specific language that outline the expected code of conduct in accord with long accepted Church teaching. The Catholic faith is central to our mission, and in order to deliver on that mission, it is our expectation that staff and teachers support our moral beliefs.”

So proud of the students at #dowlingcatholic today who staged a walk out to protest discrimination. I stand with you! #dowlingcares

— Francesca Andriolo (@FranAndriolo) April 9, 2015

16-year-old sophomore and event walkout organizer Grace Mumm said:

“I just want the community to know that this is a really important topic, and that just because our school officials or diocesan leaders might have made this decision, it does not directly reflect what we believe as students.”

Watch Mumm explain the reasons for the walkout and read the school’s letter to parents, AFTER THE JUMP…(warning: autoplay)

Yesterday, we reported that Oregon’s 2014 Teacher of the Year Brett Bigham alleged that he was fired by his school district  after speaking openly about being gay.

Dowling Catholic Parent Letter