Can Catholic Schools Uphold Catholic Doctrine?
A complaint has been filed by a trans-gendered substitute teacher against a Catholic school board in Canada.
Jan Buterman was a substitute teacher for St. Albert Catholic Schools in Edmonton, Alberta, before announcing that she was going through the process of becoming a man through aggressive hormone treatments.
When Ms. Buterman began to appear as a male in the classroom, the school board officials opted to hand her a pink slip.
Dave Quist, executive director of the Institute of Marriage and Family – Canada, explained St. Albert’s decision by stating: “The Catholic school board looked at it and said that [the gender change] was – quote – ‘not aligned with the teachings of the church and would create confusions and complexit[ies] with students and parents as a model and witness to Catholic faith values. Therefore, they removed her from the substitute teacher list.”
Ms. Buterman has filed a complaint before the Alberta Human Rights Tribunal for her dismissal because the parochial school receives public funds and, therefore, has no right to make an employment decision based on a tenet of faith.
The outcome of the case is uncertain because of other rulings by the Tribunal have upheld the rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and trans-genders.
The case is expected to have a profound effect on the future of Catholic education in Canada.
