Story perspectives

Catholic School Fires Steve Shirilla After Documentary Remarks

6/6/2026

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Center

Shirilla Fired

The documentary’s release triggered a review that led to Steve Shirilla’s removal from teaching.
Steve Shirilla will not resume his art and digital media position at Mary Queen of Peace School in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland issued a statement confirming Steve Shirilla will not be reinstated.
School officials said Steve Shirilla's documentary remarks about his daughter’s marijuana use demonstrated poor judgment.

Left

Shirilla Crash

A leaked phone call in the Netflix documentary shows Steve Shirilla asking Kim Kardashian to be her lawyer, sparking viral discussion.
Steve Shirilla was convicted for the 2022 Strongsville, Ohio crash that killed Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan.
Shirilla claims she cannot recall the crash because she passed out from postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
The series notes her permissive parents and presence framed the case as an influencer-culture cautionary tale.

Blindspot

Center coverage emphasized the institutional response, detailing Steve Shirilla’s removal from his teaching post and the Catholic Diocese’s statement, which Left coverage gave less weight to.
Center coverage highlighted the school’s criticism of Shirilla’s comments about his daughter’s marijuana use, an angle absent from the Left summary.

History

Historical Context

After the Boston Globe’s 2002 Spotlight series exposed abuse by five priests and prompted the Archdiocese of Boston’s $85 million settlement of 552 claims, the U.S. bishops adopted a zero-tolerance policy. That media-driven precedent guides today’s swift response—Cleveland’s Catholic Diocese removed teacher Steve Shirilla following a Netflix documentary that revived scrutiny of Catholic educators.

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Shirilla Fired

The documentary’s release triggered a review that led to Steve Shirilla’s removal from teaching.
Steve Shirilla will not resume his art and digital media position at Mary Queen of Peace School in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland issued a statement confirming Steve Shirilla will not be reinstated.
School officials said Steve Shirilla's documentary remarks about his daughter’s marijuana use demonstrated poor judgment.

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