Parents’ council demands meeting over Oakville teacher controversy, but request is denied

Parents demanding answers about the Halton school board’s handling of a teacher controversially dressed in revealing clothing have been denied a request for a special school board meeting with the interim principal.

The desire to be heard and the recent change in leadership are the latest developments at Oakville Trafalgar High School, which has been at the center of a controversy that has grabbed global headlines since photos circulated online showing a trans teacher with prosthetic breasts. large and protruding nipples.

“This veil of secrecy doesn’t work for anyone,” said Scott Miller, co-chairman of the school board that requested a special meeting for Friday. “We want dialogue… We just want to understand what the school and board policies are because we all have kids in school.”

Earlier this week, Miller had requested a special meeting with the school’s interim principal: The vice principal is now in charge for the remainder of the first semester, while the principal is on temporary leave. On Tuesday, Superintendent Jacqueline Newton denied Miller’s request because speaking about a board employee is outside the legal authority of the school advisory board, she said in a letter to the board.

“Discussion of an individual board employee or any other personnel matter will be dropped,” at the next regularly scheduled meeting, he wrote. “We greatly appreciate the service of the council members and their support of Oakville Trafalgar High School during this challenging year.”

The school board meetings for the academic year were previously approved and the next one is on February 16th.

“I’m really bummed out,” Miller said, after learning the application was denied. “These students are not the school’s top priority.”

After photos of the teacher circulated online in September, the school became the site of protests, bomb threats and police presence.

“This is a disruptive environment and it seems to us that from day one, the priority has not been the children,” Miller said, adding that the Halton District School Board has not listened to parental concerns about student attire. teachers. “We don’t have a problem with the teacher’s expression or her gender… What is a problem is the line of miscommunication between the board and the parents.”

Despite several complaints to the board this fall, senior staff have maintained that while it has a dress code for students, one could not be enacted for staff for fear it would expose the board to “considerable liability ” and may violate human rights. code.

At a special board meeting last week, the trustees approved a motion asking the principal to develop a “professionalism policy,” which outlines expectations of staff, including the requirement for “appropriate and professional dress standards.” The policy expires March 1, with an interim report expected in February.

Halton board president Margo Shuttleworth said school operations are matters where staff have authority, not trustees, and “the superintendent of the school has been intrinsically involved in everything that’s been going on.”

However, he added, the trustees’ motion for a professionalism policy is “to have a consistent approach with a policy that we think is important to have.”

Education Minister Stephen Lecce said there were “deep concerns” about the way senior administrators on the board have handled the issue, but he welcomed a policy of professionalism.

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