Paramus Catholic Principal, President Placed On Leave

PARAMUS, N.J. — The two highest ranking administrators of Paramus Catholic High School were placed on leave effective Monday, the Archdiocese of Newark confirmed.

Archdiocese spokesman James Goodness said that President James Vail and Principal Stephanie Macaluso “are on leave from their posts.” Goodness would not comment on how long they would be on leave for or why.

Goodness said that Margaret A. Dames, superintendent of schools for the archdiocese, and John O’Neil, associate superintendent of secondary schools, would lead the school until a permanent solution is found. It will be up to Dames to name an interim principal, Goodness said.

Vail and Macaluso were still listed on the staff page on the school's website Tuesday morning.

Paramus Catholic has made headlines recently due to a lawsuit filed by a former dean of guidance and girls basketball coach, Kate Drumgoole, who was fired, she claims, because she is in a same-sex marriage.

The archdiocese argued in court that it was within its rights to fire Drumgoole because she signed a contract agreeing to adhere to Roman Catholic tenets, which same-sex marriage goes against.

Drumgoole’s lawyers argued that other teachers and staff members also allegedly violate the tenets by being divorced, and are still allowed to work at the school.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com

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Photo by Pete, public domain