A lesbian teacher in Vancouver, British Columbia says a Catholic school forced her out of the classroom because of her sexual orientation.
The Toronto Sun reports that Lisa Reimer, a music teacher at Vancouver's Little Flower Academy all girls' school, went public with her story after she felt she was being discriminated against when she was told to leave the school Monday.
Reimer says in December she went to Little Flower's administration and told them she and her pregnant partner were expecting a child together.
When Reimer announced the pregnancy, the principal told her not to tell any staff or students about her lifestyle because "there would be a witch hunt."
Reimer isn't sure what legal action she can take because she technically hasn't been fired. Although, she was told Monday that she would not be required back at the school, nor would she be allowed back at the school between now and the end of June, and she was not to have any contact with the students.
The school principal allegedly told Reimer that some parents were worried that "the girls might follow Ms. Reimer's lead."
"They are full of fear," Reimer told media Wednesday. "I don't really think they believe human beings are equal unless they are Catholic. Maybe it's ignorance... It's 2010 and frankly I didn't think it would come up."
"It's caused a lot of stress on our family," she said.
According to the Vancouver Sun, in a statement issued late Wednesday, Celso Boscariol, the chairman of the school's board of directors, said Reimer "has not been fired, and she remains in the services of LFA until June 30 and will continue to be paid accordingly."
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