Teachers college issues review of Oakville teacher who wears huge fake breasts as parents ponder lawsuit

Ontario’s governing body for regulating teachers has told the province’s education minister that surging controversy over a gender transitioning classroom instructor wearing enormous prosthetic breasts with nipples poking from tight clothing should be easy to solve by the teacher and the school board following current guidelines.

The Ontario College of Teachers sent a four-page report to Stephen Lecce about the industrial arts teacher at Oakville Trafalgar High School who sparked questions, complaints, protests, and a flurry of bomb threats. National Post has obtained a copy.

The report emerges as parents of students at the school grow increasingly frustrated by a dramatic escalation — to safety fears over threats of bombs and bullets — that prompted the formation of a parents group now contemplating legal action.

The in-class apparel of the transgender teacher at the school west of Toronto was revealed by photos posted online by students soon after the start of the school year in September. In response to intense local and international attention, Lecce asked the teachers college to review and consider strengthening its professional conduct provisions.

“(The college’s) Council has concluded that the standards, governing legislation and supporting resources appropriately address professionalism in today’s modern learning environment,” the report says.

“In conducting this review, we were mindful of controversy regarding images of a teacher wearing prosthetic breasts in the classroom, which has been the subject of recent media reports.”

The review concludes “the onus” is on a teacher to act professionally and a board’s employment policies should outline “how employees are expected to conduct themselves.”

“All Ontario Certified Teachers, in their position of trust, are expected to demonstrate responsibility and sound judgement in their relationships with students, parents, guardians, colleagues, educational partners, other professionals, the learning environment, and the public.

“Teachers are required to uphold the standards of their professional practice and ethical standards both in and out of the classroom,” says the report, signed by Diana Miles, chair of the college’s council, and Chantal Bélisle, the college’s chief executive officer.

School boards, in turn, must set and enforce rules for teachers to follow, the report says.

“Employers and school administrators have the primary responsibility to enforce their own policies and procedures. In most cases, school boards can and do address breaches of their policies and no regulatory intervention is necessary.”

The college reminded classroom instructors of “the critical need for teachers to adhere to government and employer policies and protocols, as part of their commitment to teacher professionalism.

“The vast majority of Ontario’s teachers practice professionally. On the rare occasion that an educator fails to exercise good professional judgement and breaches these standards, a complaint can be made to the College,” the report says.

Andrew Fifield, spokesperson for the college, said he cannot say if any complaints have been filed against any teacher, unless it leads to a disciplinary hearing. There is no disciplinary history or hearings scheduled for the Oakville teacher.

Neither Lecce’s office nor the school board responded to questions about the report prior to deadline.

Tension at the school does not seem to be diminishing, even though there are reports the teacher has not been in the classroom recently.

Last month there were several explicit and vitriolic bomb threats and shooting threats against the school, the Halton District School Board, and the town itself, some requiring lockdowns, evacuation, and police sweeps.

Parents formed an association in response to the escalation that has held a public forum, launched a fundraising campaign and is considering legal action, said a spokeswoman.

“The issue has escalated to bomb threats and we are asking — for the safety of the kids — for the school and board of education to put education needs first, as it’s been very disruptive to the children,” said Celina Close.

Last week, Students First Ontario held a public forum at an Oakville arena. Close said about 150 parents attended.

Parents were keen for an opportunity to talk about the situation because the school and the board quickly shut down questions or discussion of it, she said.

“There are children who are extremely fearful of going to school. That is a very real concern,” Close said.

“There were parents speaking at that event saying they have a tremendous amount of anxiety about sending their kids to the school, and some are either wanting to remove their kids from the school or to have online learning.

“This is really not what we want for our kids, especially after COVID challenges.”

Close said that, as a parent of children at the school, it was distressing when students were told to stay home because of a bomb threat, and, when children were at school, to hear classrooms were being searched for bombs.

“It has obviously been a distraction for the children. They’ve lost a day of school. It is not the type of education environment that is ideal for children to be learning in.”

Asked about strong anti-trans rhetoric expressed about the teacher’s actions, Close said that is not where the parents group comes from.

“We don’t see it as a gender issue at all. Dress codes and codes of conduct that are applicable to the children and the broader school community — that is basically what our position is,” she said.

The group has retained an Oakville lawyer to explore legal options to get the parents’ view heard.

The board did not respond to questions about the parents group prior to deadline.

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