Catholic school accused of discrimination against lesbian teacher

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A Vancouver private school teacher says she is considering her legal options after she claims she was let go for being a lesbian parent. Lisa Reimer says she wants her Little Flower Academy students to know what really happened.

Reimer says she was completely upfront about her status, the school didn’t have any issues with her performance, and until recently, didn’t have any problem with her being a lesbian. When she was hired, Reimer says she was told not to speak out against the Catholic faith in the classroom, something she says she considers unprofessional and would never do. Reimer says she submitted a formal letter informing administrators she needed time off to welcome the birth of her son with her partner, and says Little Flower’s principal told her she was thrilled and that she would make a great mom.

Reimer claims that all changed when she returned from her leave. She was brought into a meeting where she was told she would not be allowed back on campus or to have any contact with her students. She is continuing to be paid for the rest of the school year.  A letter has gone home to parents, which tells them Reimer has taken a personal leave.

Reimer believes parent complaints prompted the dismissal and behind closed doors, staff seemed to admit the move is controversial. “The vice principal said that the Catholic Church is hypocritical and the principal also said that a lot of the Catholic faith, I quote, ‘sucks’.”

Reimer says administrators told her after her leave that parents were worried a lesbian teacher would “lead them astray”. “They said that they had lots of friends and family who were gay and they were completely supportive of that, but that families at L.F.A. would not accept that.” She has not been told how many complaints came in. 

Reimer says the kids are the ones truly losing out. “Little Flower Academy is saying that’s OK, we can ignore the B.C. curriculum. A choir class with no choir? No rehearsal? It’s like doing P.E. online.”

The Pride Education Network calls it discrimination, and questions why the private school is getting taxpayer money when it discriminates against gays and lesbians.  Jennifer Breakspear with Qmunity a local advocacy group for gays and lesbians says, “I’m astounded. This doesn’t seem in keeping with the fact we’re in the year 2010.”

In a written statement, Little Flower Academy says Reimer was on a one year contact and was not fired.  The chair of the school’s board of directors basically calls this a misunderstanding over Reimer’s requested leave to be with the new baby.

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