The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) submitted its statement of defence in former teacher Carolyn Burjoski’s defamation lawsuit. .“What I did not expect is in their defence this board who cut off my presentation, ejected me from the trustees meeting, forbade me from speaking to my students and colleagues, and publicly maligned my reasonable comments as transphobic hate speech is now pleading before the court that I am trying to suppress their free expression by suing them,” said Burjoski in a Wednesday video. .The WRDSB has denied any and all wrongdoing. Burjoski said “the irony is thick.” . Carolyn Burjoski .Burjoski was cut off and cancelled during her speech to trustees in January for voicing concerns about sexualized books available in elementary school libraries, as reported by True North. .WRDSB Chair Scott Piatkowski stopped her four minutes into her presentation when she spoke about how it was wrong for books with references to asexuality and transgenderism be included. .Piatkowksi told Burjoski what she was saying violated the gender expression and gender identity discrimination provisions in the Ontario Human Rights Code, ordering her presentation to end. .Burjoski filed a $1.7-million defamation suit against the WRDSB and Piatkowski for claiming she was “transphobic” and had engaged in “hate speech.” .“I believe school boards are using language and HR legislation as weapons to silence anyone who questions their policies,” she said. .“The message to all teachers is clear: If you speak up, you will be punished.”.Burjoski said the WRDSB “seems to think they can gaslight an entire community — and even the court — into believing the exact opposite of what is actually true.”.While she supports LGBT rights, Burjoski said she's opposed to inappropriate books in school libraries. .She went on to say parents and teachers should be able to speak up about policies they object to if they feel children could be harmed..Burjoski thanked all of the people who donated to her crowdfunding page. .“I am in this to the end,” she said. .“I will not run out of will or energy, and with your help, I will not run out of money.” .The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) took legal action against WRDSB on her behalf by filing a judicial review of her ejection on June 20. .READ MORE: Justice Centre files lawsuit against Ontario school board for expelling teacher.“Ms. Burjoski is a former teacher with sincere concerns about the appropriateness of the sexual content being shared with elementary school-aged children in Waterloo Region schools,” said JCCF lawyer Jorge Pineda. .“The board’s decision to silence her not only deprives her of her right to freedom of expression under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but also deprives the public of hearing an informed dissenting voice on an issue that affects their children.”
