Teacher Is Thrown Off Zoom Meeting When She Reads Very Disturbing Sexual Exerps From Books Being Given To Young Children, Gets Accused Of Human Rights Violations

A local teacher was removed from a public school board meeting after being accused of transphobia.

Carolyn Burjoski, a Waterloo Region District School Board teacher spoke to trustees about pulling resources in school libraries that contain content that she feels, may not be appropriate for children.

During the meeting, Burjoski said, "Some of the books filling our libraries make it seem simple, or even cool to take puberty blockers or opposite-sex hormones."

The teacher was interrupted by school board chair, Scott Piatkowski.

"I'm just getting a little concerned that your content may be problematic. I'm not sure exactly where you're headed, but I would caution you to make sure that you're not saying anything that would violate the human rights code."

Bringing up a book titled The Other Boy by MG Hennessey, Burjoski said it chronicles the medical transition of a person "born female and now identifies as a boy."

According to information in the teacher's presentation, there are 106 copies of this book in K-6 WRDSB libraries.

She told the school board that after a character named Shane is told by a doctor that taking puberty blockers and starting testosterone will make him infertile in the future, the character responds with "it's cool."

Burjoski said that is "a very typical adolescent response."

"This book is misleading because it does not take into account how Shane might feel later in life about being infertile. This book makes very serious medical interventions seem like an easy cure for emotional and social distress," the teacher said.

She was stopped again by Piatkowski, who said her comments may violate the province's protections for gender expression and gender identity.