Transgenderteacher'scaseshouldbeheardby Albertahumanrightstribunal:judge

EDMONTONAjudgesaysadiscriminationcomplaintfiledbyatransgenderteacherwhowas firedfromaCatholicschooldistrictforreligiousreasonsshouldbeheardbyanAlbertahuman rightstribunal. JanButermanwasremovedfromtheGreaterSt.AlbertSchoolDivision'steacherlistin 2008becausehissexchangewasnotinlinewithCatholicvalues. Hefiledacomplaintthefollowingyear,whichtheschooldistrictsuccessfullychallenged beforetheprovince'shumanrightscommission. Thatdecisionwasoverturnedbythechiefofthecommission,whichpromptedtheschool districttoseekajudicialreview. JusticeSheilaGreckolofCourtofQueen'sBenchdismissedthedistrict'srequestina writtenrulingobtainedFridaybyTheCanadianPress. ShesaiditistimeforacommissiontribunaltohearButerman'scomplaint. "FiveyearshavepassedsincetheschoolboardterminatedMr.Buterman.The voluminousandcontinualretreadingofargumentsatthecommission,aswellasthisapplication forearlyjudicialinterventiononthingrounds,hasservedonlytodelaythehearingonthemerits," Greckolwrote. "Humanrightsprocessisnotonlyforthelionheartedandwellheeledconversantwith litigation,butalsoforthetimorousandimpecuniousforallAlbertans. "Theexpeditiousresolutionofcomplaintsbecomesanissueofaccesstojusticejustice delayedisjusticedenied." Buterman,whoisworkingonhismaster'sineducationpolicystudiesattheUniversityof Alberta,saidhewasdelightedwithGreckol'sruling. Hesaiditisstillpossibletheschooldistrictcouldappeal.Andevenifthecaseproceeds tothetribunal,itcouldbelonganddrawnout. Heacknowledgedthereisnoguaranteethathewillwin. "Ithasbeenfiveyearsandsometimesithasbeenveryhardtocope,"hesaid."Itisof deepconcerntometobefacedwithasituationwherethereareentitiesthatcanignorerights thatweallhave." CathyFinlayson,registrarattheAlbertaHumanRightsCommission,saidGreckol's rulinghasbeenreviewedandadatewillbesetinthecomingweekstohearthecase. "InaccordancewithJusticeGreckol'sdecision,thismatterwillproceedtoatribunal," Finlaysonsaid. "Thetribunalwillbeintouchwiththepartiestoseewhenthefirstavailabledateis." Shedeclinedfurthercommentonthedetailsoftheruling. DavidKeohane,superintendentoftheschooldistrict,saidofficialswerereviewingthe rulingtodeterminewhethertoappeal. "Thereisnodecisiononthat(appeal)rightnow,"Keohanesaid."Thedecisionhasjust comeout.

"Butthespiritofourresponseisweareaparticipantinaprocessandwearegoingto continuetoworkthroughthatprocessuntilitcomestoitsconclusion." In2011,Butermanturneddowna$78,000cashsettlementofferfromthepubliclyfunded schooldistrictbecauseitwouldhaverequiredhimtokeepquietanddrophishumanrights complaint. Hesaidhewasfiredin2008despitereceivingaletterfromthedistrictpraisinghis teachingabilities. AccordingtothefactslistedinGreckol'sruling,aboardofficialwroteButermananother letterwhenthedistrictlearnedhewaschangingfromawomantoaman. "TheteachingoftheCatholicChurchisthatpersonscannotchangetheirgender,"read theletterthatdeputysuperintendentSteveBayuswroteafterconferringwiththeArchbishopof theCatholicArchdioceseofEdmonton."One'sgenderisconsideredwhatGodcreatedusto be." Theletterwentontosaythattheschooldivisionwasboundbytheteachingsofthe churchandthatitintentionallyhiredteacherswhoweremodelsofthoseteachings. BayuswrotethatButerman'ssexchangewasnotalignedwiththeteachingsofthe churchandwouldcreateconfusionwithstudentsandparents. FurtherResearch TribunalProcess: Whentwopartiescannotsettleacomplaintandthedirectorbelievesithasmeritthen theywouldgototheChiefofCommissionandTribunal. Ifthecasewasdismissedbythedirectorthenthecomplainantcouldrequestforappeal within30daysofthedirectorsdecision. TheCC&Twouldreviewthecaseanddecideifitshouldhavebeendismissedorthe proposedsettlementisunfairandunreasonable,theywouldthenrecommendthehuman rightstribunalortribunaldisputeresolution. Ifthecasewasdismissed,thedecisionoftheCC&Twouldbefinalanddeniesthe appealandthetwopartieswouldstickwiththeproposedsettlement. Ifthecaseendsupininhumanrightstribunal,theywouldreceivesubmissionandthe Commissionwouldhearevidencefrombothpartiesanddecideifithasmerits. Iftheybelieveithasmeritsthenitwillorderaremedythatmayresolvetheproblem.