COAL TOWNSHIP – A pregnant, unwed teacher who was fired from Lourdes Regional School in November will have her day in court next month. Her lawyers, Kymberley Best and Tim Bowers, tell us Naiad Reich will appear in court March 29 for an injunction hearing, seeking reinstatement to her position. It will be held at the Northumberland County Courthouse at 10 a.m., to be presided by Judge Hugh Jones. There, the court will consider whether Reich should be reinstated to her teaching position.
The lawsuit is against the Diocese of Harrisburg, school Principal Sister Mary Ann Bednar, and Bishop Ronald Gainer, but not against the Lourdes board of directors.
She was an English teacher at the school and was fired November 30 by Sister Bednar. Reich informed Sister Bednar November 27 she was pregnant and had planned a child with her boyfriend. The baby is due in June, and she had told Sister Bednar she would not need time off. Planning the child while not married violates the school’s morality clause.
