Ontario’s school board decided this week that it could not enforce a dress code for teachers for fear of being seen as “discriminatory.” The issue came after a district high school teacher sparked controversy about wearing large breast implants in class.
“Even if a dress code is implemented for non-discriminatory grounds, it may prove to be discriminatory if it adversely affects an employee or group of employees for grounds protected by the code. High,” wrote the Halton District School Board (HDSB) in a report titled “Dress Code Considerations,” published Nov. 8.
The Board also said, “It is important to be aware of the impact dress code policies have on members.
transgender community. ”
“Most importantly, it is important that employers make allowances for these employees to be able to express themselves according to the gender they live in,” the board wrote. I’m here.
HDSB defended a teacher at Oakville Trafalgar High School (OTHS) in September. This teacher was videotaped by a student wearing a large artificial breast with her nipples sticking out while teaching in her class at Shop.
“We stand by the members of this staff as set out in the Ontario Human Rights Charter,” HDSB Chairman Margo Shuttleworth told the Epoch Times on Sept. 19.
HDSB said in a report released on November 8 that any possible dress code should be “gender-neutral” and “impose similar dress standards and requirements for all employees regardless of gender.” I added that there is a need.
“If an employer’s dress and grooming standards impose stricter requirements on female employees than male employees, or require female employees to dress more conventionally, such Standards can be the basis for claims of discrimination. [Human Rights] code. “
“It must be the dress code.”
Xin Yi Zhang, a recently elected HDSB board member, said in a previous interview with The Epoch Times that the choice of dress for Oakville teachers was an issue “to be resolved by current board members.”
“There must be a dress code for teachers,” Zhang wrote in an Oct. 27 email. “Students are the customers of schools. Decisions should be made by parents whose children are in school.”
Shuttleworth said toronto sun In September, students found that they “really love” attending their teacher’s classes.
“This teacher is a very capable teacher,” said Shuttleworth.
Many HDSB parents and students gathered outside Oakville Trafalgar High School on September 23 to protest the board’s lack of disciplinary action against a teacher wearing large fake breasts.
Several OTHS students who participated in the protest said they felt “uncomfortable” or “weird” about the way their teachers dressed.
“As a student at the school, I can confirm that not all students love her,” said one 9th grade student.
“My teacher scares me,” said another. She said, “She’s freaking out every time she sees her…she doesn’t feel good.”
The Ontario Teachers College is currently reviewing its professional standards of conduct in response to the request of Ontario’s Minister of Education Stephen Lecce and this issue.
Andrew Chen contributed to this report.
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