Teacher nears settlement with diocese

Michael Califano, a former third-grade teacher at Maria Regina Catholic School in Seaford, has reached a “settlement in principle” with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre, according to a court document filed on Oct. 14.

The document, a letter addressed to Magistrate Judge James M. Wicks, of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, states that the parties “have reached a settlement in principle and are in the process of finalizing the terms of a settlement agreement.”

Califano, 27, who openly identifies as gay, said that the diocese was aware of his sexuality when he was hired as a math and English teacher — a position that Wicks described in a memorandum order last September as being “secular in nature and not ministerial.”

Califano was fired on Dec. 27, 2023, after 18 months at the school, and he claimed that the termination resulted from an anonymous email that was shared with diocesan officials last November, containing pictures of Califano kissing his boyfriend. He maintained that he had kept his activity on social media private, and that he had never openly discussed sexuality with his class.

Califano claimed that after a meeting with the school’s pastor and representatives of the diocese, he was informed that he had violated a school handbook policy about adhering to Catholic values.

Sean Dolan, who was the diocese’s communications director at the time, said, “For privacy reasons, we do not comment publicly on personnel matters, but we can say that the school did not end Mr. Califano’s employment over his sexuality.”

Several parents at Maria Regina disagreed. Many, who said they, too, were aware of Califano’s sexuality, rallied outside St. Agnes Cathedral, in Rockville Centre, last Dec. 29, after learning of his termination. Others created a social media page demanding his return to the school, and an online petition called on Bishop John O. Barres and Pamela Sanders, the Diocese’s superintendent of schools, to reinstate him.

In response, Califano filed a discrimination charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and followed that with a federal civil rights lawsuit in June, alleging that the school and the diocese were in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for unlawful discrimination and wrongful termination based on his sexual orientation.

Attorneys for the diocese and school sought to have the suit dismissed, arguing that Califano’s claim lacked merit, and that he would “not be unfairly prejudiced” by such an order to dismiss, but Wicks rejected their arguments.

“Michael Califano, Maria Regina School and the Diocese of Rockville Centre have agreed to an amicable resolution,” a joint statement issued by the attorneys for the school, the diocese and Califano obtained by the Herald on Oct. 24, read. “Although the parties strongly believe in their respective legal positions, all parties recognize that the lengthy litigation process would cause pain and distract from, ultimately, their shared goal: the education and growth of the students of Maria Regina School. Mr. Califano remains steadfast in his faith and will continue to be a devoted parishioner of the diocese.”

The Oct. 14 letter also requested that a court conference initially scheduled for Oct. 22 be postponed as the attorneys worked to finalize the settlement. They expected to submit a formal Stipulation of Dismissal within two weeks, which would officially close the case, according to the document.

Neither the letter nor the subsequent statement, however, indicated whether Califano will resume teaching at the school. He is currently working as a substitute teacher at Wantagh High School.

Califano is the son of Nassau County Police Department officer Michael Califano Sr., who died in the line of duty when a truck hit his patrol car during a traffic stop on the Long Island Expressway in 2011. The truck driver was apparently asleep at the wheel, and pleaded guilty to reckless driving. The Glen Cove Road Bridge over the LIE was named in the senior Califano’s memory after the incident.

Additional reporting by Charles Shaw