Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association head resigns amid Brantford trustee controversy

Resignation comes after OECTA president criticized Brantford Catholic school board trustee over social media posts

The president of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) has resigned following a controversy over social media posts made by a Brantford Catholic school board trustee.

Background of the controversy

In March 2023, Brantford Catholic school board trustee Kathy Ellis shared a series of posts on social media that were critical of the LGBTQ+ community.

OECTA president Liz Stuart condemned the posts, calling them "hateful" and "discriminatory."

Resignation

On April 11, 2023, Stuart announced her resignation from her position as OECTA president.

In a statement, Stuart said that she was "deeply disappointed" by the Brantford Catholic school board's handling of the situation and that she could no longer remain in her role.

Stuart's resignation is the latest development in a long-running controversy over the role of LGBTQ+ people in Catholic schools.

In recent years, there have been several high-profile cases of Catholic schools in Canada discriminating against LGBTQ+ students and staff.

The OECTA has been a vocal critic of this discrimination, and Stuart's resignation is a sign that the controversy is far from over.

Reaction to the resignation

Stuart's resignation has been met with mixed reactions.

Some have praised her for taking a stand against discrimination, while others have criticized her for not doing enough to protect LGBTQ+ students.

The Brantford Catholic school board has not yet commented on Stuart's resignation.

Conclusion

The resignation of OECTA president Liz Stuart is a significant development in the ongoing controversy over the role of LGBTQ+ people in Catholic schools.

It remains to be seen how the situation will be resolved, but Stuart's resignation is a sign that the controversy is far from over.