Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/19pdf/19-267_1an2.pdf
Page Number: 10.0

6 

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE SCHOOL v. 
MORRISSEY-BERRU 
Opinion of the Court 

The school reviewed Morrissey-Berru’s performance un-
der religious standards.  The “ ‘Classroom Observation Re-
port’ ”  evaluated  whether  Catholic  values  were  “infused 
through all subject areas” and whether there were religious
signs and displays in the classroom.  Id., at 94a, 95a; App. 
59.  Morrissey-Berru testified that she tried to instruct her
students “in a manner consistent with the teachings of the 
Church,” App. to Pet. for Cert. in No. 19–267, at 96a, and 
she  said  that  she  was  “committed  to  teaching  children
Catholic  values”  and  providing  a  “faith-based  education.” 
Id.,  at  82a.    And  the  school  principal  confirmed  that 
Morrissey-Berru was expected to do these things.5 

2 
In 2014, OLG asked Morrissey-Berru to move from a full-
time to a part-time position, and the next year, the school 
declined to renew her contract.  She filed a claim with the 
Equal  Employment  Opportunity  Commission  (EEOC),  re-
ceived a right-to-sue letter, App. 169, and then filed suit un-
der the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, 81 
Stat.  602,  as  amended,  29  U. S. C.  §621  et seq.,  claiming
that  the  school  had  demoted  her  and  had  failed  to  renew 
her  contract  so  that  it  could  replace  her  with  a  younger 
teacher.  App. 168–169.  The school maintains that it based 
its  decisions  on  classroom  performance—specifically, 
Morrissey-Berru’s difficulty in administering a new reading 
and  writing  program,  which  had  been  introduced  by  the 
school’s new principal as part of an effort to maintain ac-
creditation  and  improve  the  school’s  academic  program.
App. to Pet. for Cert. in No. 19–267, at 66a–67a, 70a, 73a.

Invoking the “ministerial exception” that we recognized 
in  Hosanna-Tabor,  OLG  successfully  moved  for  summary
judgment, but the Ninth Circuit reversed in a brief opinion. 
769  Fed.  Appx.  460,  461  (2019).  The  court  acknowledged 

—————— 

5 Record in No. 2:16–CV–09353 (CD Cal.), Doc. 33, ¶9.