Lesbian teacher told to work from home, group says

[ccharles000]

A teacher at a Catholic high school for girls in Vancouver was told to work from home after parents complained about having a lesbian teach their kids, a gay rights group says.

Earlier this week, Vancouver's Little Flower Academy told Lisa Reimer, a music teacher, to work from home for the rest of her contract, which expires in June, the Pride Education Network said Wednesday.

The advocacy group alleges that the private school sent Reimer home because she is a lesbian parent.

Reimer told the school administration of her sexual orientation when she formally requested parental leave in December 2009 because her partner was expecting a baby, the group said.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/04/28/bc-little-flower-academy-lesbian-teacher.html

[Dr Morbius]

1. Well, it sucks, and if it were a public school I'd be up in arms.

But it's a Catholic school, and funnily enough churches are legally allowed to be unfair.

Sucks for this woman and her family. Hope she finds work elsewhere.

[Mojeoux]

3. I'm Glad Canadian Public Schools would not stand for this.

I grew up in Detroit and I went to St. Mary's Academy for Girls over in Windsor Canada for part of the 9th grade.

Some Nuns were great teachers, but the Nun in charge of the boarders was Psycho-Nun!!

Up till then I'd had some wacky-ass Nuns in charge of my young life,

but Sister Mary Margaret was truly bat shit crazy.

[MattBaggins]

7. What are Canada's laws in this?

Church/State?
Public funding of private schools?
Is sexual preference protected under labor laws?

[NBachers]

2. Man, these fucking rat fink snitches really piss me off

I reminded my sister of this just a couple of days ago:

We grew up in Spencerport, a small rural suburb in upstate New York. We attended school there in the '50's and '60's.

It was a fairly conservative time, but people pretty much let each other be whoever they were.

One of our school bus drivers was an old masculine lesbian woman. She was a hearty, hefty lady full of gusto. As kids, we knew she was a woman who dressed in men's work clothes, and was rough around the edges. We knew she was . . different . . and we weren't sure what to make of her. But, like I said, she was hearty and enthusiastic, and seemed to be on our side.

Nobody hated her- she was just part of our community. As far as I know, no parents ever ever peed their pants whining and ratting and snitching about her. She was a school bus driver. And life worked out fine for all of us.

I give my little hometown community credit for letting people live their lives; for not being afraid to expose us, as kids, to this woman.

It's a fucking shame how far we've fallen since those days . . .

I hate these squealing fucking rat vermin

[TheMadMonk]

8. I think a part of it is their fear of their kids having a chance today of understanding...

...what "butch" and "rough around the edges" actually mean. That in knowing, their daughter might think to seek advice from someone who's been there, done that, and got the paisley shirt, or the flanny with the sleeves ripped off to prove it, if they notice "unnatural feelings" in themselves.

Not an excuse. Merely one of many (often unreasonable) reasons why.

[msongs]

4. catholic bigots would protest if they were made to work from home by gays or lesbians. nt

[Rincewind]

5. Do they make

the priests work from home so that they don't molest the students?

[Warren DeMontague]

6. Sure. Those kids would be way safer with, say, a Priest.

:hide: