The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) was cleared of allegations of discrimination based on sex and gender identity by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) after a teacher told a Grade 1 student biology did not matter. .“Having considered the parties’ submissions and the primary relevant legislation, I find that the applicant did not experience discrimination arising from the alleged differential treatment by the respondent,” said HRTO adjudicator Eva Nichols in a decision. .“I also must note that although the social area cited in the application is educational services, the applicant did not allege that (student) NB was denied meaningful access to an education as a result of the actions of the respondent.”.This human rights complaint was initiated by NB’s mother, PB, after her daughter’s teacher, JB, taught lessons undermining the female sex in 2018. NB identifies strongly as a girl. .JB showed her class a video about gender identity and asserted some people are not boys and girls. The video said people can determine who is a boy or girl by asking for their pronouns. .The application alleged JB told the class “there’s no such thing as boys and girls.” JB used a spectrum on a whiteboard to explain people could be boys, girls, or somewhere in between. .She taught her class about sex changes. NB said this lesson made her unsure if she wanted to be a mother and led to her asking her parents if she could go to the doctor about this issue..NB’s parents spoke with JB, the principal, Ms. D, and the school’s superintendent about how these lessons were affecting their daughter. Her parents said they felt these meetings led to no progress, so they opted to enrol their daughter in another school. .Her parents alleged these incidents made NB feel “dehumanized, devalued, and ashamed.” The ruling said it was not explained what these terms meant to them and and how it manifested itself in their daughter’s behaviour. .The decision said the concerns came from NB’s parents. There was no evidence provided demonstrating their daughter was deprived of human qualities. .The ruling said it did not matter JB said girls and boys are not real, as the statement was made in haste. Nichols said the teacher apologized to the class after and used the gender spectrum to clarify what she meant. .PB stressed at the hearing she is not for taking away transgender rights. She said she wants to implement safeguards within the OCDSB to “rein in the excesses of gender ideology.” .The ruling said the application did not make any references to a poisoned educational environment, but the applicant’s lawyer, Lisa Bildy, raised the issue as part of her closing arguments. PB raised concerns about the OCDSB’s policies relating to gender issues, particularly JB saying the school board believes in gender fluidity. .The ruling went on to say there were no allegations about how the OCDSB’s policies about gender issues undermine the Ontario Human Rights Code. It said the application focused on how these lessons should not be covered in classrooms. .The applicant was seeking remedies under accountability, transparency, and guardrails. .“In the absence of a breach, there cannot be any such orders,” said Nichols. .“For all the above reasons, the application is dismissed.” .This case comes after it was uncovered in July the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) in Ontario established a policy prohibiting parents from finding out if their children identify as a different gender at school. .READ MORE: Ontario school board restricts parents from knowing about students’ gender identity.“@TVDSB, who are responsible for the education of over 80k students, have guidelines that says school staff should never disclose a student's gender identity or trans status to a parent/guardian,” said Libs of TikTok. .The policy said school staff should not disclose a student’s trans or gender diverse identity to people who do not have access to his or her records without consent.
