True North News obtained an exclusive recording of an elementary school teacher in Windsor, ON, caught on tape berating Muslim students for skipping the school’s LGBTQ pride day. The incident took place in June..In the recording the teacher can be heard telling students their abstention was “disgusting” and “an incredible show of hatred” that made her not want to be their teacher anymore..“We as a staff here at Northwood were incredibly hurt by the statement you made yesterday,” the female teacher told her class in the recording. .The teacher was not named by True North in the story..“You need to understand how hurt and disappointed we are in those actions, and take that home to your parents because they are the ones that made you stay home," said the teacher.."It was an incredible show of hatred and it is sad. It was hatred toward a community of people and it was incredibly disgusting to have witnessed."."I do not want to be a part of this school, I am so disgusted by what happened yesterday.”.The students can be heard gasping in shock at the teacher’s rant. Some of the students then fire back at the teacher..“We weren’t trying to disrespect you," a student said in the recording..“We are respectful for your people, we don’t hate you at all.”.The teacher continues and tells students, “You might believe that, but what came across was an incredible amount of disrespect, OK? That may have not been your intention, but that’s what it was.”.“No, yesterday showed a huge lack of disrespect. Every teacher in the school will agree, we had a meeting after school yesterday and so many teachers were angry and upset and ashamed to be a part of this school," said the teacher..True North reported the students told the teacher she could not compare a religion to sexual preferences.."But you can," replied the teacher..In the recording, the teacher also condemns the Muslim students after they tell her they can’t change their religion to have it support LGBTQ lifestyles..“You have all voiced to me that you cannot change your religion in order to support LGBTQ… and that is wrong,” said the teacher. “That to me is extremely sad, it’s so sad for you I’m sorry.".She then instructed the Muslim students to challenge their parents’ beliefs..“That’s when you as students, as kids, need to start teaching your parents." .The teacher also told the students, she and other teachers then decided to plaster LGBTQ rainbows all over the school in response to the absent students on Pride Day..“All the rainbows you see around the school was because very few people came yesterday and the teachers are angry," said the teacher..“There was not one rainbow up except the few little things that have been up for months and months and months, not one rainbow was up yesterday."."The staff at Northwood put all that up because they were so angry with the disrespect they were given yesterday.”.At the end of the teacher's rant, she can be heard on the recording shouting at students and telling them she is having a hard time being nice to them.."The name of the teacher who made the comments was provided to True North. She is listed as staff on the school’s website, as well as on the Ontario Sunshine List as an employee of the Greater Essex County District School Board. The Ontario College of Teachers database also lists her as an active, licensed educator," True North reported.."True North reached out multiple times to Northwood Public School for comment, but they did not respond in time for publication.".A source did provide a Jun. 20 apology letter sent to Northwood families by principal Dustin O’Neil, adding "He said the teacher’s comments were inappropriate.".“I want to emphasize that the views expressed do not reflect the values of acceptance, inclusion and belonging that make Northwood such an incredible school and community,” wrote O’Neil in the letter..“We are deeply sorry for any harm that has occurred as a result of these comments. We teach our students that words matter — they have the ability to bring us together but can also be used to divide us. We wish to assure the community that we are addressing the situation accordingly.”.READ MORE: LISTEN: Edmonton teacher lambastes her Muslim students for skipping Pride events.In June, a teacher at Londonderry School in Edmonton took it upon herself to blast Muslim students in the class about skipping Pride events, with a student recording the rant and putting it on the internet.."Do you think it's acceptable to not show up because you think there are some Pride activities going on at school," the teacher asks Muslim students in the rant..The teacher claims in the recording the Muslim students showed their opinion by hanging out at the mall during Pride activities, then told the students other classmates who are celebrating Pride month were in class when Ramadan was celebrated..Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting,."They're showing respect to the class, for your religion," the teacher said about students celebrating Pride month in the class..The teacher then mentioned Uganda to the class as an example.."Literally, if they think you are gay they will execute you. If you believe that kind of thing, then you don't belong here," the teacher said.."Because that is not what Canada believes. We believe in freedom. We believe that people can marry whomever they want. That is in the law. And if you don't think that should be the law, you can't be Canadian."
