Teacher's sex change firing 'wrong message': expert

An expert in gender identity says the firing of a transgendered teacher by a Roman Catholic school board in Alberta sends the wrong message to students.

Jan Buterman, who worked as a substitute teacher for about six months, was removed from the Greater St. Albert Catholic school board's substitute teacher list last year.

Born as a woman, Buterman is going though a sex change and was removed from the list after telling the school board he had gender identity disorder.

A letter from the board explained the move, saying a gender change goes against the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.

"So, the unfortunate message that this firing sends to students is, 'It's not OK to be different, whatever facet of difference you may have in your life,'" said Kristopher Wells, a researcher at the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services at the University of Alberta.

"That there's only one way to be a teacher, there's only one way to be a student, and if you're different than that you are going to suffer the consequences."

Other issues raised

Wells said Buterman's firing raises a lot of questions.

"So the question becomes, are they discriminating solely on the basis of this teacher's gender identity?" he said.

"The question could be asked, 'Would the school board, if it's adhering to the tenets of its faith, fire those teachers who are divorced?'"

Buterman has filed a complaint with the Alberta Human Rights Commission. The provincial government and St. Albert Catholic School Board have refused to comment.