Trans librarian sues Twin Cities Catholic school, archdiocese; alleges she was let go after coming out

RICHFIELD, Minn. — A woman alleges a Twin Cities Catholic school fired her after she came out as transgender.

The former employee and St. Paul-based legal advocacy group Gender Justice are suing Richfield's Academy of Holy Angels and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, alleging the school violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act when officials didn't renew her contract.

Gender Justice says the employee worked at Holy Angels during the 2021-2022 school year and was "widely respected by students and her colleagues for her dedication to fostering a love of reading and learning among students."

School officials released this statement on Tuesday: "We take the allegations seriously. We are in the process of reviewing the allegations, but we are not able to make further comments because the claims involve confidential personnel matters."

Gender Justice was also involved in a 2019 lawsuit involving the alleged mistreatment of a transgender student in the Anoka-Hennepin School District . In 2021, the student and the district reached a $300,000 settlement.