09.23.2022 05:12 PM

People asked what I think. Here’s what I think.

14 Comments

  1. Fred J Pertanson says:

    Agree with your comments. I think this teacher has to go. To avoid Human Rights complaints, simply look to all the health and safety infractions s/he committed. Hair not tied up, no eye protection, no protective hand gear, etc etc.

    Cheers, Warren. We don’t always agree, and when we don’t, my comments get removed, but I still like your blog!

  2. Warren,

    Are there any people more true to themselves or more courageous to undertake such an incredibly difficult and often painful journey just to be what so many of us take for granted: being ourselves, truly ourselves in a genuine representation of self. Some make it all the way. Sadly, some do not. But what incredible courage it takes just to try.

    • Sean says:

      100% agree. I also love it when an ordinary person sticks their neck out and forces everyone else, especially the powers that be, to take stock of their issue. That is democracy at its best.

    • Steve T says:

      See my comment below. This isn’t about “being your true self”. If this person wanted to do that, they can certainly do it in their own home, or even on a public street. This is about attention-seeking and self-martyrdom.

  3. Sean says:

    I think this is a human rights close call that will likely go to the SCOC eventually.

    I’m 100% on the side of *dress however the hell you want*. However, Warren articulates the problem perfectly: “sexualizing kids, or caricaturing women’s bodies, or turning classrooms into places where the priority – the kids – becomes something less.”

    So we are left with determining whether or not that is actually what is happening. Does it come down to a matter of opinion of what a woman looks like? / is supposed to look like. Are there boundaries to trans expression in the workplace? If so, how the hell is that decided?!

    Also, Lilley is mistaken to suggest that the Ford Gov’t is on top of this. They are terrified to even get involved. The minister’s statement “asked the Ontario College of Teachers to review and to consider strengthening those provisions with respect to professional conduct” is a very soft *not my problem / jurisdiction* position. If the government goes any further, that’s what will trigger a major human rights debate.

    It will be fascinating to see where this goes.

    • Mark D says:

      “I’m 100% on the side of *dress however the hell you want*. However, Warren articulates the problem perfectly: ‘sexualizing kids, or caricaturing women’s bodies, or turning classrooms into places where the priority – the kids – becomes something less.'”

      That’s the moral and ethical debate raised by this teacher’s actions.

      However, like many others I too initially thought this situation was satire and not real. The reason being the obvious violations to occupational safety in a workshop.

      I took shop courses when I was younger, at a school that had a fairly relaxed dress code for both students and teachers. “Dress however you want” did *NOT* exempt teachers or students from the following safety regulations when working around dangerous machinery or materials in shop classes:

      – Hardhat
      – Safety goggles
      – Safety gloves
      – Hearing protection
      – No loose hair or loose clothing
      – Steel toed boots

      These were all provided by the school as needed.

  4. Martin Dixon says:

    I am a little lost as to what is happening here. When I first saw it, I didn’t think it was real, then I thought that to dress like that in a shop class was probably dangerous. But now I see posts that say it is some guy that got nailed by the board for toxic masculinity in the class recently so he is basically trolling everyone.

  5. EsterHazyWasALoser says:

    The cynic in me is suspicious that this is a ploy to get fired, then sue for a large settlement. BTW, I agree with Warren’s position entirely.

  6. Steve T says:

    Be who you want to be – definitely. But at a point it becomes less about living your “true self”, and more about being deliberately provocative and offensive to boost your own ego and draw attention to yourself.

    I suppose it’s still fine if you want to stand on a public street corner downtown and wear ridiculously large fake breasts, or strap on a huge dildo, or pretend you are having sex with a goat. Whatever floats your boat. But when you do it in a school, in front of children, you’ve crossed the line.

  7. Liber et Gloriosus says:

    This reminds me of a South Park episode where Mr. Garison was trying to get fired so he could sue for a huge settlement. Instead, the school administrators and parents bent over backwards for him and the offended children were sent to the “Human Rights Museum” for re-education.

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