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March 2, 2023 | 17:28
Parents at Kayla Lemieux’s high school say they are relieved the Canadian teacher has been placed on leave amid heated debate over her wearing giant prosthetic breasts to teach children — and hope it will finally end months of bomb threats students have endured.
Lemieux, a shop teacher at Oakville Trafalgar High School, was placed on paid leave on Tuesday — just weeks after The Post revealed that the staff member does not always wear the Z-cup prosthetics outside of the classroom.
“This should have happened six months ago,” Oakville parent Celina Close told The Post Thursday.
Al Saplys, whose children are in 12th grade at the school, agreed.
“It’s the right thing to do,” he said. “I am pleased that he has been placed on administrative leave.”
The father added: “Honestly, it’s a distraction no one wants anymore and it will help bring the school back to a level of normalcy.”
The school has been subjected to relentless bomb threats and warnings of gun violence since footage of Lemieux wearing prosthetics in her shop classroom went viral last year.
Parents now hope the threats will subside with Lemieux’s absence.
“Hopefully it will deter anyone who wants to call in bomb threats,” Saplys said, adding that it had become the “biggest frustration” among some parents.
“Halton District School Board did not treat it as a crisis. They said the right thing but didn’t act, he continued.
“For some students it’s a big joke, other students were extremely anxious because of the bomb threats. Some were very afraid that something would actually happen.”
Close added: “It is a relief that the disruptions and bomb threats will subside so students can focus on their education and enjoy high school life.”
Lemieux’s suspension came just days after Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce and several local politicians rebuked the school board for “abdicating their responsibility by failing to put students’ interests and safety first.”
For months, outraged parents have also called on the Halton school district to step up and enforce a dress code in an effort to ban Lemieux from wearing prosthetics in the classroom.
The issue was brought up at Wednesday night’s board meeting after officials agreed in January to develop a professional policy.
A proposed policy was floated during the meeting, but parents have vowed to keep fighting — claiming the board hasn’t been specific about dress codes or a timeline for when it might be enforced.
“That’s not the end of it. There is still not enough specificity around a dress code. “I hope there is a professionalism policy specific to a dress code implemented as soon as possible, the same as the student dress code. What’s so hard about that?” Saplys said.
“Halton District School Boards are dancing around the dates of a policy. There are no timelines.”
