Was forced to resign after marrying another man. This raises questions about the doctrine of the Catholic Church. Sheila macvicar with mr z in his First Television interview. Mark and david are a couple who are very much in love, they were legally married last july in washington state. Samesex marriage was legalized there a year ago. It was their marriage that simply act that cost mark his job. I dont feel like i have done anything wrong. I married the love of my life. It is legal in the state of washington and its important. I want to be married and have my faith and believe in god. Im catholic and pray to got every day. He worked here at east Side Catholic School in a suburb east of seattle. He was a reallyrespected Vice President and popular swim coach. In his First National tv interview he told us School Administrators and colleagues knew he was gay and that he lived with his partner. It was a clath lick catholic version of dont ask, dont tell. They asked me not to bring my partner to school even or bring up issues or questions. He was not invited to anything. We kept our private life private. They kept their wedding private. Unknown until a fellow teacher overheard a conversation about wedding flowers, and told administrators. Tell me the story of how this unfolded. From what i understand a few teachers went to my supervisor and discovered i was married. Sister mary, the haffed of the head of the school brought me into a meeting and she asked me if i had been married. And i said i was married to the love of my life. She said it was unfortunate. He was called into a meeting with administrators and the schools attorney. They told me because i married a man, it was against social teachings, and the church and theyd have to let me go. It wasnt a decision that the school made because mr zmuda was in the office and resigned, recognising that he was a catholic practices ath like, understood the practicing catholic, under the contract he resigned. This is a district attorney. It was difficult. He knew he had made a commitment to the school that he would uphold the catholic teachings, and when he was not able to attest tore live to the mission. He made the decision to resign. Then the head of the school, sister mary tracy made a suggestion a way for him to keep his job. Did she ask you if you would annul your marriage . She never said annul. She said, would you consider getting a divorce . She said if you did, we could perform a Commitment Ceremony and the school would probably pay for it. They told you you had violated the teachings of church by marrying a man. Yes. And suggested you could get a divorce, which is also against the teachings of the church. Thats correct. What did you think about that . Well, again, i told them that i was not going to get a divorce. This was brazen, i couldnt believe anyone would ask me to do that. I love my husband, i love being married. Its justs very difficult to have someone say in order to keep your job, will you get a divorce. Its a hypothetical what if you got a divorce . That was made out of frustration, without consultation, without church personal, without consultation with me or the board. It was made out of frustration because he was a valued administrator. That was never pursued, and obviously not on the table. EastSide Catholic School sits on a beautiful campus. As a private school it is not run by the seattle arch diocese, but adheres to strict teachings and guidelines. What happened next took many by surprise. Almost immediately after hearing that the popular mr z as he is known was forced to leave, students staged a mass sitin. There was a lot of anger and confusion on why an administrator who was doing his job well would be fired because of sexual preference. It changed to determination, and wanting to change not just the Catholic Church, but peoples views on gays and help them be able to be who they are. Initially i was sad, upset and overwelcomed that something unfair could happen because he was a great person. I couldnt wrap my mind around what happened. After that it turned to anger at the school. Then the parent got angry, some threatening to pull the kids from the school over mr zs departure. I like to see myself as helping him and the school turn the page. Alumini over the country threatened to stop donating. I dont want a Scarlett Letter or be known as the guy that went to school for the problems and they fire gay people and its a billing media mess, thats why im involved. [ chants ] this if there are people connected to the school in favour of zmudas departure, they stayed silent. Driven by students on social media, there has been protests like this. Lets bring the change we want to the church. With updates on twitter, hash tag keepmr z and an organising page on facebook. School swim meets are statements, and at every protest students i dont pope francis asking who am i to judge . To have the love and support is incredible. They stood up for me, and on what i thought was right. The school held meetings with faculty, teachers, parents and alumni. The media has been present. Other gay teachers in other cities also lost their jobs in Catholic Schools after getting married they have come to light. At this protest two weeks ago alumini and activists marched to the headquarters of the seattle arch diocese, delivering a petition signed by more than 20,000, demanding that the arch bish ol reinstate zmuda. We beg you to make a pastoral statement regarding gods unconditional love for all persons working in our local catholic institutions. The archbishop spokesman came to the door. The school decided it had to by faith of to its mission in the Catholic School and the arch diocese supports of the school board in its decision. Reporter how does this square up with what the pope says about gays . Well, you know, pope francis reminded us of the limitless mercy of god, and reminded us that as catholics we have a responsibility to live the fullness of catholic teaching, including the teaching ontraditional marriage. The school and the arch diocese are not enforcing other catholic teachings. Prohibition against divorce, remarriage and contravention. The story is not going away. Sister mary tracy resigned last week. Many say it is not enough to end the controversy. Friday is z day. Supporters are urged to wear one the school colours, orange, and at 1 00 pm eastern time, to take a moment and stand up for mr z. If the Student Voice is strong use, this can carry, that is what started this, thats what continues to propel this for the students. The kids have been fantastic. Im so proud and so honoured of the students there the east side catholic. We will be in charge of all of this. We will be able to make this change. Right now this is how it starts. High School Students challenging the Catholic Church in the name of equality. America tonight correspondent Sheila Macvicar will follow up. We are looking ahead to next week. No mercy in crime and punishment. Started hearing stop resisting, stop resisting, i yelled out, im in handcuffs, and someone smashed my face to the ground and i hear a cracking. A west coast Sheriffs Department mired in controversy. Allegations of brutality in l. A. County. An investigation in crime and punishment next week. After the break this hour, the other america. And the pursuit of the American Dream can it still exist. Our america tonight series continues next. In this weeks state of Union Address president obama laid out a goal to reverse the economy and bring back the middle class weual know. These days the opportunity for upward mobility can be hard to find. With many living pay check to pay check, the definition of middle class has changed. Take a look at the revival of the middle class. Here is real money with ali velshi. I would like to one day breathe a little easy. We have jobs. People dont have jobs. We are appreciative of that, and we are able to feed our family. We do struggle. We are not frivolous people. We dont have charge cards, we dont have car loans. My daughter cant go to college right now. Its not like, you know, we are spending the money and not paying attention to where its going. We are working, doing what we have to do, and we cant get ahead. Thats our lives. Ali velshi is joining us now from new york. You know, this is really a picture of a new kind of middle class and we have talked on this program about a new kind of poor. And its almost as though things changed so much for this group. Yes. This is a good example, because we have talked about it on our show, you talked about it on yours. This is it beyond economics and politics. As a channel Al Jazeera America will start a yearlong conversation on americas middle class. We are doing this on monday. Its called rebuilding the dreams, nine out of 10 americans identify themselves as being in or want to be in the middle class of america. All agree that the middle class is squeezed after years of job losses, rising costs and stagnant wages while the higher classes make money. Starting monday a special one hour edition of real money, we take a look at americas middle class and the challenges it fizz faces, including student debt. Well talk to families, experts about how to fix this, how to move ahead, and what happened to the American Dream and how to capture it. As you talk to people, do you have a sense that people know what the middle class is. Is it an income thing, is it an education limit. How do we know what the middle class is . Id like to have a real answer for you by august. By then youll hear politicians across the country telling you how to vote for them, because theyll protect the middle class. If you ask 10 people, youll get 13 answers. Its a bit of a concept. A state of mind. Its a life that makes you think you are doing better than your parents and your kids will do better than you. It allows for home ownership, gives you leisure time. Working two or three jobs doesnt count. Its the ability to get an education and work out of the debt. To some people its the ability to take an annual vacation with your family, its a lot of things, if you feel like you are struggling, you spend a different way. When you sfend in a conservative way spend in a conservative way, where a stock market change affects how you spend, it affects the economy. We depend on a strong middle class to buy things and pay the taxes. This is a problem whether or not you think it affects you. I know a part of this is generational thinking. Different anal groups look at this a different way. Theres a bit less different anal groups look at this a different way. Theres a bit less, theres a thought that society would give them something. There was an understanding if you had a High School Education or got into a manufacturing or office job, you could retire on that, it would give you a pension. Now, nobody knows what to effect the the net effect is it people spend differently. If you are under 30, its good for your economics, its bad for Wealth Creation in the country, its bad for home sales and the attended benefits that come from that. This is starting that is starting to be a drag on the economy. We need to understand what you should expect from the American Dream. What does it feel to be middle class. So many are asking the question. Glad that you are looking into this. The host of real money, ali velshi. You can see all of ali velshis onehour special president obamas calling 2014 a year of action, and a year of hope to restore peoples hope in the American Dream. The president s address embodied americans. We know these are the hard pressed it grows darker each day. We are talking about the single mum playing by the rules but barely getting by, the defeated College Graduate with a mounting debt making minimum waning and the rise and fall of an immigrant businessman. They are more than political props, they are the other america. I was always interested in karate or martial arts. I liked it, so when i was a kid and saw rocky the first time, i was so inspired by that movie i started boxing in the high school. I joined the team, and my boxing life started. I got a scholarship from the university in japan. I joined them. I focused on going to the olympic games. But i couldnt be National Champion in japan. I started thinking what will i do . Inspire people like rocky did. I feel like its my turn to inspire others. I dreamt about coming to the United States to be app actor. You know, movie, hollywood. Calf. Maybe i can start from there. I decided to come to los angeles. When i came here, i was 27. Of course, you know, i was nobody. I needed to have another job, you know, started looking for a japanese classified paper and i phoned a company, one gentleman. He had his own company. Before then, i didnt know anything about hats. But i learnt. We adjusted height of the crown, lower or higher, and also, you know, the brim. We are looking for assistant for exporting company. I like fashion, so, you know, thats how i hooked up with the hat business firstly, and two years later i opened up business. My conversation started growing and i exhibited. The first customer i got was the big nation wise chain store. They liked our hats. I see people on the streets, walking and wearing our hots, and i feel like thats great, we made it. They sent me orders and we worked closer, we had orders, getting bigger and bigger. I did over a million annual sails, and five employees. Everywhere i tried my best. I pushed myself to the edge. My prices getting higher, my profit is shrinking, shrinking, shrinking. Finally, you know, we were fr e froze we were forced to close the company. I had to file bankruptcy. Ordinary people work 40 hours a week. Me, now, you know, i have two jobs, daytime, in the evening, driving taxi, about 85 to 90 hours a week. I work at the japanese sushi restaurant. I feel like im just having the occasion of my life. This page is over, but next page, im opening my next page of my life. Sushi bar recommendations. Working for the restaurant, thats benefitted we get free meal, lux. I can save lunch money. Came back home around 4 oclock tik a break, have a take a break, have a cup of tea and go to next work driving taxi. So now we are ready to go. Lets go get some passengers. Okay. Now we are on mel rose avenue. I had a customer selling products, showing samples. Sometimes i miss those sales. It was fun. Talking to customers, selling products. I dont want to see, like, my all the customers, when i drive a taxi. Thats kind of weird. Of course, they maybe not ask, but they think why shes driving taxi . And this is where i was hanging out. Every weekend my dinner or i dont remember now when was the last time i went there. I walked by there, you know, a lot. Driving by, you know. Having been inside the restaurant i havent been inside the restaurant for a long time. Since i started this financial difficulty. One day ill be a customer again, ill go back there. Not now. Okay. I have to figure out this paper. I almost feel like i work 24 hours. I mean, at the restaurant five days a week, taxi, every day, every night i drive. Taxi. Usually i make from restaurant about 900, and from driving taxi cab 4,367. But rent 780. Utility 50, car loan 250, medical insurance 200. Home phone and cell phone, internet 220. My taxi lease is cost 2,080 a month. Wire money to japan, supporting parents, 500 a month. After deduct all those expense, only 120 left. 120 divided four weeks. 40 a week, 30 a week divided by seven. 4. 29 a day. For in the morning, exhausted and ready to go to bed. There are so many people facing financial difficulties. I can have compassion for them. Yes. Makes me a better person. In the other america. After the break here from the fight and poverty to the face of pop. The celebrity endorsement landing hollywood in hot water. Californias now home to more than 625,000 enrollees under the president S Health Care law. In one region more than 300,000 people will be extended Health Insurance coverage. With the influx of enrollees, there are concerned there wont be enough doctors to take care of them. A californian medical school is offering a plan that could help to end the doctor drought. Jennifer has always wanted to be a doctor. The daughter of immigrants, shes a daughter of first year medical students with a desire to serve. A goal going into medicine was to work with underserved communities. In a system of for Profit Health care. Medical School Tuition is expensive, and requires students like hahn to get big loans. We are acquiring a lot of debt, like 40,000 to 50,000 a year. Close to 200,000 or more over four years. She studies at riverside in an area of the state facing a shortage of doctors. Because its the Fastest Growing area in the state, and because 40 of the doctors in the area look like me, 55 years of age or older, well have a 5,000 position deficit in 10 years, no matter what anyone does. Dr richard olds is dean of the school. The Health Care System rewarding keeping people healthy is better than a system that rewards not treating people until they are desperately ill and saving their lives at the end, which is sort of the way the Health Care System is structured. Hes an innovative thinker when it comes to the shortage of doctors. Which will be severe for Family Doctors and paediatricians, who are most involved in preventative medicine. They earn far less than specialists like cardiologists or orthopaedic surgeons. Many doctors choose lucrative specialties to pay off med school debts. Uc riverside is trying a bold inspectors, the only one of its kind in the nation. Students who choose care and agree to practice in the local community will get full scholarships. We reverse the financial incentives to get the result that our area of california, and society in general needs. Hahn, one of the first to receive the fullride scholarship says its a relief to her and her family. Definitely lifts a weight off my shoulders knowing that i will not have to pay back many of my loans after i graduate. It gives me a better idea of what type of doctor i want to be. Its not just california facing a looming doctor shortage. According to a report by the American Association of medical colleges, there could be a nationwide shortage of 90,000 doctors before the end of the decade. It will worsen when president Barack ObamasAffordable Care act goes in effect. Youll put 30 Million People into a system where theyll want to have access to care. In the past perhaps they sought out emergency care. The main reason for the doctor shortage is that the country is getting older. Over the course of the next 20 years, 10,000 americans a day turn 65. They use the majority of the health care. Patients will most likely have to rely on second tier professionals like Nurse Practitioners to pick up some of the slack in the next few years. The country will need more original thinking and innovative programs like uc riversides. If we are successful 30 years from now all the medical schools in the United States will steal some of our ideas. Because if it works, it will change american medicine. Americans need plenty of dedicated wouldbe doctors like jennifer hahn. Therell be no shortage of football fans this weekend, some 164 Million People are expected to watch super bowl sunday. The big game is a hot spot for companies, products, celebrity endorsements the gold standard. One add the super bowl rejected featuring Scarlett Johansson is generating a different kind. We look a celebrity endorsements and humanitarian work. It may look like any number of advertisements featuring hollywood celebrity. It has pop, fizz and glamour. And a lot of controversy. Soon after the add for soda stream hit the airwaves, scorl et ended her ambassadorship with oxfam, citing a fundamental difference of opinion. Soda stream whose construction plant is in the west bank came under criticism from propalestine activists, saying products made in the occupied territories support the occupation. In a statement oxfam said while it respected johanssons independence soda streams ceo says the mixed staff, israeli and palestinians, says it represents peace in the region. This factory is a dream for politicians on both sides of the dilemma. Its the model for peace. Soda streams shows who peace will look lick, proving that there can and will be peace among the people. Palestine officials do not see it that way. This factory is located on annexed and occupied palestine land. This is a settlement and they are in violation of International Law and legitimacy. It is set up on land stolen by force. If they want to set up bridges for peace, why not establish the factory in israel and then employ palestine workers. Johansson joins a list of celebrities with questionable deals. Celebrities crossed the line. Actor George Clooney did a string of endorsement for nespresso, which is under fire. Clooney says its part of the a strategy to finance humanitarian work and says conversation scarlett johanssans feud highlights a dilemma when endorsements and views clash. Next staying alive. The Great Lengths journalists have to get to get the truth. We preview the documentary killing the messenger, next. Freedom of press is guaranteed, a luxe affording us, as journalists, the freedom to publish. For journalists working in foreign countries, its difficult to find. Mexico, russia, iraq, afghanistan, syria the list long, the deaths countless. The pursuit for the truth never dies. Censorship in mexico is basically a result of the threat of violence imposed by the drug cartels, and the failure of the government to provide minimal safety guarantees for reporters in the media to do the work without fear of reprisal. Killing of journalists is not collateral crime, corruption and violence, promoted by criminal organizations, organised crime. It is devastating the mexican press, undermining a citizens right to freedom of expression, access to information, endangering the mexican democracy. Killing the messenger is the film. Joining us now. Which appreciate you being with us. In this clip we are focus the on mexico and the situation there. Its a proceed problem, and it isnt just conflict zones that we are talking about. Yes, thank you for having me. The problem of killing the messenger or journalists is a global problem. We at cpg have been documenting and monitoring cases journalists have been murdered in the job for more than two decades now. Now, in a recent year, for example, where are the worst locations in the world to be a journalist, most dangerous . Just over the past year, 70 journalists were killed worldwide on the job. Out of the 70, 31 were murdered in direct reprisal for their work. The most murderous nations are iraq, starting from the time when iraq was at war. There have been 90 murders of journalists, and to that day when iraq is there are allegedly a stable place, none of the 90 murderers have been solved. But its not always a conflict zone that produces this. I understand that the philippines is high on your list, we do not consider that to be a place in turmoil. Indeed, iraq was a conflict zone. Its not the only one on the list. Countries like the philippines and russia, which are nominally peaceful countries have at least nominally a vibrant press, have also been plagued by murders of oppressed workers and impunity in all of these cases. In the philippines we have more that 20 journalists killed over the past decades and in russia 16 murders, and only in one case have there been any killers prosecuted and conficted. In the last convicted. In the last few sessions i want to ask about russia so much intention is focussed there going into the olympics. Does that have a bearing on the treatment of journalists in that country . We released a report on censorship in the run up to sochi. You can access it at www. Cpa. Org. What we can say is censorship in russia is at its worse since the falling apart of the soviet union and the situation is dire, mostly for local journalists, and International Journalist trying to cover sensitive subjects that the government wants concealed. Fascinating. Well follow up on the story. From the committee to protect journalists, thank you for being with us. Al jazeera presents killing journalists, the deadly cost of news later this week. Ahead priceless penny. Anthony hardaway from a team player to leader his dream chaser are next. Conversation def finally this hour we hit the hard court with a former basketball star, Penny Hardaway retired from the n. B. A. He never left the game. In an unusual and emergency situation, penny sunned in as a coach of a team. What happened next is the stuff of the silver screen. Oscar de la hoyer has the story of a unique friendship we have the story of a unique friendship. In Memphis Basketball is religious, in binghamton, its a ticket out. Where a local kid dared the impossible. Former n. B. A. Point guard Anfernee Hardaway started out here and became an n. B. A. Draft pick and 4time all star. Nearly a decade passed, but he vowed to use the game he loved to inspire a group of middle schools to believe in what might be possible. Penny hardaway returned to his Memphis Middle School to help a childhood friend who was battling cancer. In 2010 Desmond Merriweather was given 24 hours ha life. The father of fully, whose son played on the team, awoke from a medically induced coma, and had one request, help his beloved lions. I was, hold on, we are not worried about the team, we are worried about you. He didnt want to hear it. He was, i know ill be okay. But we are going to the state championships, i thought he was crazy, he was not worried about his health, he was worried about the kids. Lets go get it. The families are hear to watch us put on a show. Lets go. Penny hardaway honoured his friends request. No foul, no foul. Did you think you would be a middle school coach . No, not at all. I didnt think i would be a middle school coach. It happened. I thank god for putting me in this situation. I enjoy it. If you dont invest in the community, these kids will be the robbers, the kids, driving drunk, doing something negative that we hate seeing on the new, we can do something about it. All they want is love. I knew he would do it. His heart is so big. People just they cant imagine somehow great he is as a person. It brings tearing to my eyes because i knew the job was hard. Hes made is easier. Penny hardaways new job evolved into hor than teaching the game of basketball. When they returned to ganginfested binghamton, he saw little had changed, the same courts that draw a string of plars. I wanted to make a difference in my neighbourhood and the mentality of the boys. There are no fathers, the mums are working hard to make ends meet and the neighbourhood is tough. You can get lost into that neighbourhood if you are not careful. I want to change the mindset and bring a winning attitude to the schools. You walked in their shoes. That was me walking through the halls, didnt have a gather. Mum was gone. I know where they were coming from. He put education first, walking the halls to check on the players and demanding progress reports. He approaches doing the right thing in and out of the classroom and asked gang leaders to stay away. Why do you care, why are you here . I care because the love given to me. My neighbourhood was awesome as far as support. My grandmother was there, the people in the neighbourhood. I told my grandmother. If i made it id never forget where i came from. Its in my heart. God gave me the heart. Its an easy job to do, going back and trying to touch lives. Desmond merriweather recovered enough to return to the bench. But the chemo took its tool toll. Penny hardaway stepped in as head coach. They gave him the first championship season. And then a second. He never won a championship of his own. It was great. It was a total Team Coaching effort. Everyone played a part, coaches, family principal. It was a total team effort. It was gratifying. We took a team with no confidence to a team with a lot of confidence. To see it come to fruition made it so great. Fighting colon cancer, Desmond Merriweather requires by weekly chemo which leaves him trained, but he refuses to stay home. Once i see one of the boys faces i jump back into the zone as being the coach. I can lead it alone. Why do you do this . You dont have to. You are sick. You could get a pass to do nothing. It puts so much in me. It helps the kids. Its my heart. Thats the game plan. We are coming off cj and staying home on the shooters. We are not faceguarding the shooters and not ball watching. On game day preparation starts behaviour tip off. Throw it over his head and give up then its off to Penny Hardaways home where the team shares a meal and goes over game play. All we have to do is stay on the block. Start waving like this. Alex lomax, spent the last three years under him. Hes like a fatherfigure. My father is not in my life. If coach penny was not around, wed be a different place, i dont think i would be in the seat. I thank got he lets me be around coach penny for how long i get to be around. I came a week. Jan eata is the assistant director of the Lester Community center where Penny Hardaway spent hours refining his game. He made is a difference. He did. He did. Penny is a genuine goodheart person that wants to see our children grow. And grow to be positive. How has their Basketball Team changed the neighbourhood . Its the morale of the people behind the Basketball Team, and a lot of parents i didnt see, i see a lot of them. The basketball players are into it with their heart, you know. And penny, hes the coach, but its not just about coaching, its about the wellbeing of the students. That has really made a tremendous difference. Today they are competing in a basketball tournament thats the citys premiere competition for regional teams. The lester lions give up their lead and lose the semifinal game, taking home third place. The loss takes getting used to, but the pride of the lions is intact. This will be an experience out of love. For everyone that didnt play, youll get better by the time we get to the city and the state. This year marks the third and final season. They are parting ways with something more valuable than a tournament title. For the players, hope. For Penny Hardaway, a promise kept to the grandmother that raised him. The lester lions have their eyes on another prize, a third state championship for the departing head coach, and his team that could wants the three peat. Into they are all winners. Thats sara hoy reporting. Thats it for us here on america tonight. Remember, if you would like to comment on any of the stories, log on to the website aljazeera. Co aljazeera. Com america tonight. You can get all the previews and meet the team and tell us what you would like to see. Goodnight. Well have more of america tonight tomorrow. You are watching Al Jazeera America. Im Jonathan Betz with the top stories. The polls are open in thailand after weeks of protests. Prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra voted in the past few hours. Demonstrators angry at the government have been trying to stop the elections. Authorities worried the results will spark more violence. The United States assured ukrainian protesters of its support. Secretary of state john kerry met with opposition leaders, but demonstrations continue in the country with protesters calling for ukraines president to step down. 14 are dead after Mount Sinabung erupted, spewing hot gas and ash. Most of the victims died in a village a mile from the peak. Flu season is hitting california. Twice as many young and middle aged are dying. Pharmacies are offering pneumonia vaccinations. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie got a less than warm welcome at times square. Good afternoon everybody, you have heard enough speeches. Hard to here, but a chorus of boos greeted chris christie. He speak at a ceremony to hand over the super bowl to arizona, next years host state. Those are the headlines. Ill be back at 11 00 pm eastern with more news, consider this is up next. As the white house negotiates with iran, why are two americans in prison there while another is missing. Also a disturbing oscar nominated look at whether the war on terror is creating more enemies for america. Pro football hall of Famer Mike Haines on technology to protect kids and pros from brain injuries. Should College Football players unionize . Welcome to consider. Here is more on what is