Ex-Principal Loses Defamation Suit Against Richmond Diocese - Judge Rules "Matters of Faith" Played Role in Firing

From The Richmond Times-Dispatch:

By all accounts, the procedures for hiring Carole Kahwajy as principal of St. Benedict in June 2001 and terminating her seven months later were highly unusual.

Kahwajy contended that the termination was not only unusual but based on lies about her by administrators for the Catholic Diocese of Richmond and others who were opposed to her tenure as principal.

She filed a $14 million defamation suit in Richmond Circuit Court, but Judge Randall G. Johnson ruled yesterday that ultimately the truthfulness of the allegations about Kahwajy did not matter.

Johnson said "matters of faith and doctrine" played a role in Kahwajy's termination, and relying on a 2001 Virginia Supreme Court opinion, added, "religious matters trump all other reasons."

***
Kahwajy and [Father James F.] Kauffman [pastor of St. Benedict's Church] testified that she worked hard and well as the new principal, but complaints and rumors began making their way to the diocesan officials.

The complaints included allegations of extended prayer and chapel sessions cutting into core academic time, uncaring and arbitrary discipline and -- perhaps most damaging of all -- that the relationship of Kahwajy and Kauffman was so close as to suggest sexual impropriety.

Only the last of those complaints was communicated to Kahwajy, however, and she and Kauffman said they were caught completely off guard when they were asked to meet with diocesan officials Jan. 2, 2002.

Diane Bialkowski, superintendent of schools for the diocese, gave Kahwajy a termination letter listing seven grounds for dismissal, most of them related to her relationship with Kauffman and the lack of classroom time for core academic subjects.

Bialkowski and other diocesan officials acknowledged that they had not discussed those concerns with Kahwajy or given her an opportunity to remedy any deficiencies, as was usually the case with an employee whose work was unsatisfactory.

It was not until her termination that she learned of the extent of the rumors about her and Kauffman, who is still at St. Benedict, and of the animosity and rumors directed at her, Kahwajy testified.

[More]

My Comments:
I live in the Richmond Diocese, and this is the first I've ever heard of this case. On the one hand, I'm glad the Judge ruled that "matters of faith and doctrine" trump all other matters in Diocesan personnel decisions. But on the other hand, this has all the hallmarks of a hatchet job by the Chancery.

What the heck kind of complaint is this (remember that this is a "Catholic" school)?

"... allegations of extended prayer and chapel sessions cutting into core academic time ..."

And was there any proof of an "improper relationship" between Ms. Kahwajy and Fr. Kauffman? If so, why is it that only Ms. Kahwajy was dismissed and Fr. Kauffman is still pastor of St. Benedict's?

[I have removed my previous speculative statements because they were just that: speculation based on my gut instincts as I read this story. For all I know, my instincts are correct. But until they can be confirmed, I think it best to leave those things unwritten.]

UPDATE
Here are some other links discussing the background of this case:

Defamation Lawsuit Against Diocese Reappears

Former school administrator sues Diocese, claiming they slandered her

Poynter Abuse Tracker: Former school principal suing Catholic diocese for defamation

It seems that Ms. Kahwajy may also have been the "fall guy" ["fall person"?] for the Diocese's failure to take action against a pedophile priest.