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Students protest dismissal of gay guard

Chris Azzopardi

After learning that Marian High School Campus Safety Officer Charlene Genther was fired because she publicly came out as a lesbian, nearly 600 supporters have protested her dismissal on a popular school networking Web site.
"She needs to know how much people care about her and that she's going to be missed. She went out of her way to make sure people were smiling and having a good day," said Stephanie MacDonald, who began the open forum on Facebook's Web site and graduated in 2003 from the Catholic school in Bloomfield Township.
MacDonald wanted to show the school's board of directors, the Archdiocese of Detroit and Sister Lenore Pochelski, the school's president, that Mama G, as many students called Genther, would be missed. She posted the open forum, "Save Mama G," two days after Genther was fired on Oct. 13.
"I didn't think anything like this could happen," said Julie Butzier, 21. "She did everything for us (students)."
Butzier of Bloomfield Hills recalls Genther, 55, removing the snow from her car in the winter and leaving encouraging notes on her windshield when she was feeling under the weather.
"That made me feel better," Butzier said.
Genther of Royal Oak worked at Marian since 2001. Pochelski terminated Genther because she came out publicly and her "lifestyle doesn't coincide with the teachings of the Catholic Church," Genther said.
"I started sobbing," Genther said. "I knew it was always a remote possibility."
But it was no surprise to the school that Genther was a lesbian, Genther said. She and her partner of 28 years attended school events and chaperoned dances. Marian teachers told Genther that she shouldn't worry about losing her job. And Genther didn't think publicly coming out would matter since the school was aware of her sexual orientation, she said.
"They were concerned people would find out," she s aid.
Genther's book, "Badge 3483: A True Story," became the catalyst for her termination as it addresses her lesbian relationship to the public.
Genther believes a board member, a wealthy donor or the archbishop had Pochelski dismiss her.
"Christianity is supposed to teach acceptance," MacDonald said. "The Catholic Church needs to know that it's not fair and that society doesn't work that way anymore. It breeds discrimination. Something they've taught us not to do."
Pochelski wouldn't comment on the reason Genther was dismissed, but said, "There are people who are concerned and who will miss her presence on this campus." She also denied any form of a walk-out in the front of the school on Monday as rumored by Marian students.
MacDonald said that the student protest fizzled after it was leaked to a faculty member.
"They put a faculty or staff member at every one of the doors," said MacDonald, who received the information from a student at the school.
MacDonald added that Genther's replacement has already been hired, but she'll always be remembered.
"She was like a mother to all of us students," said Jean Butzier, 21. "I'm discouraged to say I'm a Marian alum because we discriminate against people, and that's just wrong."

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