New Jersey Catholic schoolteacher suspended over surrogacy, raising clash over church teaching and employment rules

A Catholic schoolteacher in New Jersey has been suspended from the classroom after disclosing that she is carrying a baby as a surrogate for a separate couple. Jadira Bonilla, 35, has not returned to St. Mary School in Vineland since Sept. 12, when she was told by school administrators that she may be in violation of her employment agreement and would be placed on paid administrative leave while the matter is investigated. Bonilla, who is 25 weeks into her pregnancy, said she believes she is acting lawfully and is being punished for her decision to help a family.

The school and the local Catholic diocese emphasized that while Bonilla is a valued educator, the situation involves the Catholic Church’s teaching on surrogacy. Principal Steven Hogan said the school would like to meet with Bonilla to help her understand the church’s position, though he suggested the topic runs deeper than the classroom. He added that Bonilla’s status as a valued teacher remains, and he expressed a hope that she could teach again in the future with full awareness of the faith that guides the school’s principles. Bonilla countered that her contract does not reference surrogacy and that she did not sign any agreement prohibiting it. She asserted she informed Hogan of her surrogacy plans last year and repeatedly requested written documentation proving a contract violation, but says none was provided. She also told CBS News that falling back into a routine with her students would bring joy after months away from the classroom, especially as the fall season would have allowed for a host of activities.

Bonilla said she chose surrogacy after her own experience of helping a relative and later decided to pursue the option again when she and her husband were ready to have more children. She described the decision as a personal, ethical choice to assist another family, noting that she has previously served as a surrogate for a couple four years ago while teaching at a Catholic school in Philadelphia. In her view, the act was not criminal and should not result in professional punishment.

The dispute comes amid a broader legal context in New Jersey. A 2023 ruling by the New Jersey Supreme Court affirmed that religious entities in the state can be exempt from certain anti-discrimination laws when acting in accordance with their faith. The decision arose from a case involving a Catholic school employee who was fired after information about premarital sex and pregnancy became known. Supporters of religious institutions say the ruling preserves religious liberty and the allowability of employment decisions grounded in faith-based policies. Critics argue it limits protections against discrimination for employees whose personal conduct may be at odds with religious doctrine.

The Catholic Church has long viewed surrogacy as ethically troubling. Pope Francis has described surrogacy as despicable and has advocated for a universal ban on the practice. The church teaches that pregnancy and parenthood are intended to occur within the bounds of marriage and that surrogacy can undermine the dignity of the child’s conception and the parent-child bond. Bonilla said she has not shied away from discussing these principles publicly with the school leadership, but she has emphasized that her actions are about helping a family rather than contravening law.

Support for Bonilla has emerged from some of her students’ families. Parents have expressed a desire for her return to the classroom and have questioned whether the school’s stance should apply equally to other circumstances involving family-building. One parent, speaking to local outlets, suggested that if the school is uncomfortable citing her surrogacy, it should also reconsider tuition payments from families who have used surrogacy or assisted reproductive technologies in other contexts. Bonilla, for her part, described feeling the weight of the separation from her students and the sense of community she has built with families over the years.

Bonilla tied her decision to become a surrogate to a personal history. At 18, she was inspired to help a cousin who needed medical support to have children. Although that cousin ultimately did not have children, Bonilla later pursued surrogacy again when she and her husband were ready to expand their own family. She said she views the current pregnancy as a continuation of that commitment to helping others and hopes to reconcile the situation with her employer so she can resume teaching.

The Daily Mail, which originally reported Bonilla’s case, noted that the school has not publicly released detailed documentation outlining the alleged contract breach. Bonilla said she has requested written justification and claimed the school has not provided it. The school’s leadership, for its part, has not publicly announced any final determination on the matter or whether Bonilla will be allowed to return to the classroom.

As the case develops, observers note that it sits at the intersection of religious liberty, employment policy, and women’s reproductive rights—an area of ongoing debate in New Jersey and across the United States. Bonilla’s situation illustrates how religiously affiliated schools navigate internal policy while facing questions about how to apply church teachings in secular or quasi-secular settings. It also underscores how state-level legal interpretations of religious exemptions can influence outcomes for individual employees and the communities they serve.