The Halton District School Board (HDSB) has reversed its earlier decision and will now consider implementing a dress code for teachers.
After a recent brief meeting by the board which was largely spent talking about items behind closed doors, a plan to develop a “professionalism” policy for teachers which will include the type of clothes that should be worn in the classroom was approved by the trustees.
The approval came after months of controversy hovering around the board over the attire a teacher at Oakville-Trafalgar High School wore.
The attire worn by instructor Kayla Lemieux since the start of this school year has generated global attention over her usage of oversized prosthetic breasts, very tight tops, and a long blonde wig. The issue escalated in November when the board decided against approving a system-wide dress code for teachers due to fears of legal implications and violations of human rights against the transgender teacher.
The persistent use of the outfit by Lemieux and the earlier decision of the board not to impose any type of discipline have been slammed for protests at the school which include many bomb and death threats.
Meanwhile, before Christmas, Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce, supported by a report from the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT), disclosed that the HDSB had not tried enough to guarantee the safety of students at the Oakville school where threats are continually made due to the situation.
While responding to Lecce’s request to intervene, the OCT said current standards of workplace as well as governing legislation address teacher professionalism in the class and how they are should conduct themselves.
The response by Lecce and the stand taken by the OCT may have triggered the board’s decision to change course.
The board has now specifically asked the Director of Education to: “develop a professionalism policy which outlines the HDSB’s expectations of all staff members, including the requirement to maintain appropriate and professional standards of dress and decorum in the classroom in keeping with the provisions outlined in the body of this report.”
The report of the director will be presented before the trustees during the board’s meeting on March 1.
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