Abstract
As a result of the way the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and federal law are interpreted in the United States, LGBTQ+ educators in Catholic schools lack comprehensive protection from employment discrimination. Despite this risk, LGBTQ+ people have been and continue to be employed in Catholic schools across the country, though existing literature has suggested that fear has been a major theme of LGBTQ+ educators’ experiences across various models of schools and different parts of the country. This qualitative, phenomenological study sought to specifically understand the workplace experiences of LGBTQ+ educators employed in Catholic high schools under the auspices of the Society of Jesus in their USA East province, a population that had not been included in prior research. The findings of the study revealed that LGBTQ+ faculty, staff, and administrators in the USA East province (a) specifically sought out employment at Jesuit schools, (b) did not experience the fears described by educators in other settings, (c) were invested in supporting LGBTQ+ students in their schools, and (d) desired more clear and conspicuous representation for the LGBTQ+ community in their schools. Based on those findings, three recommendations supported by existing research are proposed as solutions for how Catholic, Jesuit school presidents and principals can ensure an inclusive workplace environment for LGBTQ+ educators in their communities.