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	O.C. Catholic Teacher Is Fired Officials Won't Say Why, Angering Many Students and Parents at Santa Margarita Catholic High School By Seema Mehta Orange County Register [California] March 13, 2007 http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-teacher13mar13,1,6647073.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california A popular South County Roman Catholic high school teacher has been fired after concerns were raised about student trips to Europe that he led. Students and parents at Santa Margarita Catholic High School learned Monday by e-mail that Eric Hansen had been fired three days earlier by the Diocese of Orange. Diocesan spokesman Ryan Lilyengren, who provided The Times a copy of the e-mail, said he could not discuss details of Hansen's departure. Lilyengren said an investigation into the European tours was completed, but he declined to disclose the results. Hansen was placed on leave in late January. Reached at his San Juan Capistrano home, Hansen, 59, declined to comment. The firing comes at a time of upheaval at the Rancho Santa Margarita school. Brother Lawrence Monroe, the school's principal, who was briefly placed on leave for failing to disclose the allegations against Hansen to the diocese, announced last month that he would resign at the end of the school year. Also last month, the school said English teacher Greg Rhodes was no longer employed at the school but refused to say why or whether he had quit or had been fired. Students and parents have speculated that Hansen's allowing students to drink alcohol during the European trips — with their parents' knowledge — may have been behind the dismissal. They also are seeking an explanation for Rhodes' departure. Rhodes declined to comment Monday. Students wore black to Mass on Ash Wednesday to protest the secrecy over the dismissals, mainly Rhodes', and have formed a protest group. Many students, alumni and parents were angered by the dismissals, as well as the diocese's refusal to explain. "Over the last couple years, with the [Catholic priest abuse scandal], people are going to assume the worst," said Nicolas E.M. Michiels, who graduated from the school in 2002 and from Georgetown University in May. "These teachers are not being given a fair chance." Michiels had two classes with Hansen, took two European trips with him, and had one class with Rhodes, whom he described as his high school mentor. "You have two guys who sacrificed to teach at a Catholic school — they don't get paid as much as public school high school teachers, they don't have job security, as we can see now, and they get thrown out on the street," said Michiels. Tyler Alt, who graduated in June from Santa Margarita and is a freshman at San Diego State University, said a senior year class with Hansen had inspired him to become an archeologist. "He just totally opened up my fascination for the subject. That's when I determined this is what I want to do," said the 18-year-old, who also took a post-graduation European tour with Hansen. "It's a bummer for future students." Times staff writer Dave McKibben contributed to this report. Contact: seema.mehta@latimes.com
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