A trans teacher has been vilified for her "clownish" giant prosthetic boobs but the Canadian school board is “standing behind” the teacher who sparked protests.
The high school teacher in Oakville, Ontario, went viral after she was filmed operating a cut-off saw in class while wearing tight black shorts and a striped top.
Margo Shuttleworth, the Toronto District School Board, told the Toronto Sun that staff are looking at “going through creating a safety plan” to ensure the teacher has security as her appearance sparked protests.
Protecting any person's “gender rights” is “the stance the school board is taking and they are standing behind the teacher,” said Shuttleworth.
Prior to her transition, the teacher was known to the school as male and went by a man’s name, now she is a woman and has a female name.
The Halton District School Board confirmed that the person getting “significant attention online” was an Oakville High School teacher, but they refused to identify them.
They said the wrong person was named in online reports.
“The kids here most definitely don’t think it’s normal...but realistically we can’t say anything,” one pupil tweeted.
Employment lawyer Sunira Chaudhry disagreed with the school’s stance and told the Toronto Sun that supporting unprofessional clothing was in fact “creating a wedge” in gender rights.
The lawyer said: “It seems sexist to me, because of the exaggerated nature of these breasts with nipples protruding.
"I think a lot of young women at the school wouldn’t just feel uncomfortable, they’d feel mocked."
Ms Chaudhry said the school would equally be expected to step in if a teacher came in with natural breasts, nipples protruding, a low-cut top and no bra.
But Ms Shuttleworth said the art teacher will be supported, adding she is completely accepted and welcomed into the school community as far "as the staff is concerned.”
Parents and others are planning to confront the district at its next board meeting on Friday and demand that action be taken over the teacher's appearance that they deem inappropriate.
A full statement from the school read: "As a school within the Halton District School Board (HDSB), Oakville Trafalgar High School recognizes the rights of students, staff, parents/guardians and community members to equitable treatment without discrimination based upon gender identity and gender expression.
"We strive to promote a positive learning environment in schools consistent with the values of the HDSB and to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all students, staff and the community, regardless of race, age, ability, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, cultural observance, socioeconomic circumstances or body type/size."
