Agnes Morrissey-Berru v. Our Lady of Guadalupe School

**What Happened** Agnes Morrissey-Berru was a teacher at Our Lady of Guadalupe School, a Catholic school. When the school decided not to renew her contract, she believed it was because of her age and filed a lawsuit claiming age discrimination under federal law. **What the Court Decided** The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Morrissey-Berru in August 2020. The court said she could not sue the Catholic school for age discrimination because of something called the "ministerial exception." This legal rule protects religious organizations' right to choose their own religious teachers and leaders without interference from employment discrimination laws. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling significantly limits the rights of teachers and other employees at religious schools and organizations. Workers in these positions cannot use federal anti-discrimination laws to challenge employment decisions if courts consider them to have religious duties. This means teachers at religious schools have fewer legal protections than those at public or non-religious private schools, even if they face discrimination based on age, gender, race, or other protected characteristics. The decision reinforces that religious freedom often takes precedence over employment rights in these settings.