Action filed against school board that expelled teacher criticizing age-appropriateness of classroom books<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Posted On: June 20, 2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n
HAMILTON <\/strong>\u2013 The Justice Centre announced today that legal action is being taken against the Waterloo Region District School Board on behalf of Carolyn Burjoski. Ms. Burjoski, a former elementary school teacher, was expelled from a school board meeting after she objected to Board decisions to ban library books deemed \u201charmful,\u201d and include books on sexuality as part of the curriculum for all elementary students. Ms. Burjoski attended the meeting, open to the public, on January 17, 2022, and attempted to make a 10-minute presentation<\/a> to express her views, emphasizing that the proposed sex-ed materials would sexualize children and downplay the risks of medical sex transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ms. Burjoski\u2019s presentation included a passage from a book called Rick, by Alex Gino, about a young boy whose friend talks about naked girls all the time. The boy decides that there must be something wrong with him because he has no sexual feelings, so he declares his \u201casexual identity.\u201d The presentation also showed a passage from a book entitled The Other Boy<\/em>, by M.G. Hennessy, which deals with a girl who identifies as a boy and takes puberty blockers and testosterone as part of a medical sex transition. Ms. Burjoski commented that some of the books \u201cmake it seem simple or even cool to take puberty blockers and opposite sex hormones.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ms. Burjoski\u2019s presentation was cut off after four minutes by Chairperson Scott Piatkowski, who alleged that it violated the Ontario Human Rights Code<\/em>. The Board voted to uphold Mr. Piatowski\u2019s decision, and Ms. Burjoski was expelled from the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Jorge Pineda, a lawyer for the Justice Centre, \u201cMs. Burjoski is a former teacher with sincere concerns about the appropriateness of the sexual content being shared with elementary school-aged children in Waterloo Region schools. The Board\u2019s decision to silence her not only deprives her of her right to freedom of expression under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms<\/em>, but also deprives the public of hearing an informed dissenting voice on an issue that affects their children\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Supreme Court has described the free exchange of ideas as \u2018the very lifeblood of democracy\u2019. It\u2019s difficult to imagine how a free society can properly function without vigorously protecting free expression, particularly expression that is deemed offensive or unpopular,\u201d adds Mr. Pineda. \u201cThe Board\u2019s decision to silence Ms. Burjoski, based on the false claim that her views violate the Human Rights Code<\/em>, demonstrates a serious lack of understanding and respect for basic democratic principles and cannot go unchallenged.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Justice Centre lawyers will argue in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice that the decision to muzzle Ms. Burjoski was a violation of her Charter<\/em> right to freedom of expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Add title<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Action filed against school board that expelled teacher criticizing age-appropriateness of classroom books Posted On: June 20, 2022 HAMILTON \u2013 The Justice Centre announced today that legal action is being taken against the Waterloo Region District School Board on behalf of … Continue reading <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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