Ontario parents fed up with ‘busty’ biological male teacher parading kink in class, threaten legal action

According to the National Post, a letter was sent to school and district officials on Dec 19 demanding that the Halton District School Board (HDSB) implement a “policy concerning teacher attire.”

The letter outlines how the region became an international laughing stock in September when photographs and video began circulating on social media of a male teacher, identified as Kayla Lemieux, in the classroom “wearing unnaturally sized prosthetic breasts, a sheer blouse or shirt that displayed erect nipples and skin-tight shorts.”

“My clients reserve their rights to pursue all forms of legal action concerning this matter, including judicial review,” wrote solicitor Rishi Bandhu, who is representing three parents who have children at Oakville Trafalgar. The parents are members of the group Students First Ontario which formed in response to the board’s lack of appropriate action.

For four months, the school and board have defended Lemieux’s right to wear the fetish props in the classroom, claiming that the implementation of a formal staff dress code would expose the HDSB to “considerable liability.”

In September, the school board stood by Lemieux and reminded parents in an email that “gender identity and gender expression are protected grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code.” The concerns of parents were dismissed and those protesting were called transphobic.

Then in October, HDSB circulated Halloween protocols that ironically requested students “avoid dressing in clothing of the opposite gender that is demeaning,” and in November, released the report saying that the “implementation of a formal staff dress code or grooming standards would likely expose the Board to considerable liability.”

However, the letter sent by parents on Dec 19 argues that enforcing a dress code for students while it is so flagrantly violated by a member of staff is in breach of the Education Act, which requires that Ontario school boards have a “local code of conduct governing the behaviour of all persons in the school.”

“It is unreasonable and illogical to expect teachers to enforce the student dress code but not comply with it themselves,” reads the letter.

Lawyer Howard Levitt believes the parents have a strong case. In an article published in the Financial Post, Levitt said the suggestion that the HDSB is legally unable to ask Lemeiux not to wear fetish gear in the classroom “is so stupid and contrary to law that we wonder what motivated it.”

Levitt went on to suggest that the HDSB is a “victim of wokeness,” resulting in officials being afraid to address the issue because of the teacher’s self-declared transgender identity.

Stephen Lecce, Ontario’s Minister of Education, commented earlier this week that the HDSB had not met its obligation to protect the students at Oakville Trafalgar. Lecce had asked the Ontario College of Teachers to “consider strengthening” its professional code of conduct in September, but the College responded that provisions did not need to be strengthened because it was already within the power of the board to find a solution.

“I do continue to believe that the Halton school board, which is the employer, has an obligation to ensure that these classrooms are safe and respectful places to learn,” said Lecce in an unrelated news conference. “Teachers need to uphold the highest professional standards when they are in front of children.”

“I do not believe the board administration has done so to date, and I do believe the Ontario College of Teachers corroborates this principle,” Lecce went on. “It said the board has the necessary authorities to enforce those standards, so I expect them to do so."