Students at Nora Frances Henderson Secondary School in Hamilton and their parents have been advised the Oakville, ON, teacher who wore large prosthetic breasts will be working at it. .“We are writing to you today because we anticipate the school your child is attending this year, Nora Frances Henderson, may receive some level of public attention and we want to communicate what this means for you, your children and our school,” said Nora Frances Henderson principal Tom Fisher in a memo obtained by the Toronto Sun. .Oakville Trafalgar High School stood behind a biological male teacher’s decision to transition to identifying as a female in September. .READ MORE: Keeping abreast of Ontario teacher's transitioning from male to female.The manufacturing technology teacher was known to students and faculty as a male and went by a man’s name. She began identifying as a woman in 2021 and now goes by the name Kayla Lemieux. .Halton District School Board Chair Margo Shuttleworth said it will protect the gender identity and gender expression rights of employees, adding it is “the stance the school board is taking and they are standing behind the teacher.”.Lemieux was put on a paid leave in March. .READ MORE: Big-boobed Ontario teacher put on paid leave.The move came about after it was revealed Lemieux does not always wear her prosthetic breasts outside of school..A New York Post photographer captured photos and video of her dressed as a woman, but got them showing her without her fake breasts and dressed in men’s attire. .Fisher said Nora Frances Henderson has “an obligation to uphold individual rights and treat everyone with dignity and respect, and should the school be subject to any disruptions or protests, we are committed to communicating with you as openly and as frequently as possible to ensure student safety — and to share any operational plans.”.He highlighted to parents preparations for what he said might be an onslaught of media and potential controversy over Lemieux’s return to the classroom. .These measures included having students enter and exit the building using assigned doors at entry and dismissal, locking exterior doors during school hours, requiring students and visitors to use an intercom system to enter and exit it, and asking parents to email or call before coming to it if they wish to visit to speak to an employee. .Much is being moved around to accommodate her and to ensure her comfort and acceptance. .“In an attempt to be transparent with our community, HWDSB (Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board) communicated about steps we are taking to facilitate a smooth return to school for students and the broader community,” said the HWDSB. .“We recently communicated to some parents to inform them of the possibility their child’s school may receive heightened public interest.”.This is exactly what happened in 2022 when Oakville Trafalgar received international media attention. .It endured bomb threats, and staff ended up going on stress leave. It is unclear if she will teach manufacturing technology or another subject at the new school. .While Fisher did not name Lemieux, he described the teacher as “an experienced educator who was recently the subject of public attention, pertaining to their gender expression, while teaching at a school in a different community.”.He maintained there are no safety concerns, but to ensure a smooth return to school for students and the community, it felt it would communicate with parents early and prepare them for a variety of scenarios, including possible media interest and protests. .While private, Lemieux has spoken with news outlets in the past. .She said a doctor diagnosed her with a rare condition involving XX chromosomes and that a hormone sensitivity to estrogen caused the excessive breast growth. However, she has never provided any documentation to support this claim. .“The diagnosis is based on verbal discussions I have had with my doctor,” she said..“I never requested a note or letter of these findings.”.Feeling it was inappropriate for people to ask, she said she does not think she should have a formal diagnosis for her breast size and considers it to be irrelevant. .Students will return to the classroom on Sept. 5. .Fisher said he hopes attention on Nora Frances Henderson dies down in time. .“Our foremost priority is the success of our students,” he said. .“We are committed to maintaining a professional environment that is safe, inclusive, and conducive to their learning.”
