Tasmanian Deputy Principal's Career Destroyed by Catholic Annulment Rule, Partner Claims
Psychologist April Saltmarsh has launched a blistering attack on Catholic Education Tasmania, accusing the organisation of bullying her partner, deputy principal Sam Johnstone, out of his senior role over a church rule regarding marriage annulments. Mr Johnstone was stood down from Marist Regional College in Burnie in late 2024 after disclosing details of his personal life to school management.
The Annulment Rule That Ended a Career
According to Ms Saltmarsh, her partner was effectively branded a 'dirty sinner' because he began a new relationship before his Catholic marriage annulment was complete. Mr Johnstone had been separated from his wife but was still awaiting the church's annulment process, which can take 12 to 18 months and is not guaranteed. 'You can be legally divorced, separated for years, and still be treated like you've done something wrong,' Ms Saltmarsh told Daily Mail. 'If you start a new relationship before the church says it's allowed, you're a dirty sinner and you can't work as a leader in their schools.'
Ms Saltmarsh, who also worked at the school, said Mr Johnstone was stood down on the final day of term and then left in limbo for almost 10 months. 'So Sam was the deputy principal of wellbeing. He was incredible at his job. He was so well loved and respected by staff and students. He is amazing with kids,' she said. 'They stood him down on the last day of term and then bullied him for 10 months until he was forced to resign and sign a non-disclosure agreement.'
Allegations of Double Standards and Discrimination
Ms Saltmarsh claims the situation was exacerbated by what she describes as double standards within the Catholic education system. 'There are divorced people who have re-partnered,' she said. 'There are same-sex couples within the system. There are also no rules around relationships with colleagues, and there are quite a few couples within the school.' She added that the claim was that because Mr Johnstone was at deputy principal level, he was held to a different standard, but this was never clearly outlined. 'No one ever said, 'By the way, now that you're in this role, you're not allowed to see anyone else for two years.''
Ms Saltmarsh also questioned the legality of the decision, pointing to Tasmania's tough anti-discrimination regulations. 'In Tasmania, you are not allowed to discriminate based on relationship status or sexual orientation,' she said. 'But Catholic Education don't care about that.'
Parliamentary Inquiry Testimony
Last week, Mr Johnstone, who is still bound by a non-disclosure agreement preventing him from speaking publicly, told a parliamentary inquiry into bullying in Tasmanian schools about his experience. He explained that he was going through a marriage break-up when he became close to Ms Saltmarsh, and her 'support became critical' to his wellbeing. After disclosing the relationship to the school, he claims his treatment changed dramatically.
'From that point on, the focus shifted. It was no longer about my professional conduct, my leadership or my years of service,' he told the inquiry. 'It became about my personal life or how it was perceived. I was judged not on behaviour, but on the relationship and marital status. Not on evidence, but on assumption. Not with care, but with process and power.'
Mr Johnstone testified that, despite no finding of professional wrongdoing or any 'evidence-based assessment of misconduct', he was stood down. 'I was treated as though I was morally compromised and had been involved in criminal-type behaviour at a time when I was already deeply vulnerable and needed support and care,' he said. 'At that point, the discrimination became explicit. I was told I could not continue as a leader, or even as a teacher at my school, nor could I teach in any other Catholic Education Tasmania school.'
Consequences and Calls for Change
The inquiry heard that the 'blanket exclusion' was not based on any substantiated finding of wrongdoing. When Mr Johnstone attempted to negotiate, he was offered 'diminished' non-teaching roles. He eventually resigned and signed a non-disclosure agreement, which he told the inquiry explicitly stated that no professional criminal wrongdoing had occurred.
'I lost my role. I lost my vocation. I lost my community, when I needed all of them the most,' Mr Johnstone said. 'And despite the severity of what occurred, there has been no accountability for those who made these decisions, while I continue to carry the consequences.' He chose to share his story at the inquiry, which also heard evidence from two LGBTQIA+ students, in the hope it would lead to change. 'People shouldn't live in fear … whether it be young male or females, that are either heterosexual, homosexual, gender-fluid, or whatever it is they're dealing with, or their marital status,' he said. 'People need to be able to feel safe … and they feel that there's an arm-around approach as opposed to a punitive, out the door one.'
Catholic Education Tasmania's Response
A Catholic Education Tasmania spokesperson said they are taking the accusations seriously. 'The Archdiocese and Catholic Education Tasmania take bullying and discrimination extremely seriously and we aim to provide a safe environment for all who are involved in Catholic Education,' they said. 'It would be inappropriate to publicly respond to individual statements made under privilege to a Parliamentary Committee.'
