Teachers’ union calls for investigation into Toronto trustee who criticized nudity at Pride parade

Toronto trustee Sam Sotiropoulos

TORONTO, March 17, 2014 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation has called on the Toronto District School Board to launch an investigation into the “on-line conduct” of the trustee who urged the board to withdraw its float from the annual Pride parade if the city would not enforce Canada’s laws on public nudity.

"I ask you to commence investigation(s) to determine if Trustee Sotiropolous has breached the Board’s Code of Conduct, the TDSB Human Rights Policy, Workplace Harassment Policy, the Occupational Health and Safety Act or any other relevant policy or legislation,” Doug Jolliffe, president of the federation’s Toronto district, wrote in a letter addressed to TDSB chair Chris Bolton.

Jolliffe also said the union would pull its support from the trustee, Sam Sotiropoulos, in the election this fall. The union gave him $750 during his 2012 campaign, according to financial disclosures.

“We did support Trustee Sotiropoulos in a by-election, but support will not be forthcoming in the fall,” Jolliffe told the homosexual news agency DailyXtra.

Jolliffe said the teachers' union has in the past set up a booth at the pride parade and sponsored a lunch at the "Dyke March," but noted that, “This year, because WorldPride‎ is in Toronto, OSSTF is entering a float in the parade.”

Sotiropoulos has been strongly critical of the school board and TDSB trustees on his Twitter account over a range of issues, including its sex education curriculum and the Pride float.

The cry of "homophobia" has been leveled against Sotiropoulos for his motion requesting that the Toronto District School Board agree to ask Mayor Rob Ford and city councillors to clarify the city’s position on upholding the law against public nudity during the pride parade.  (more...)

Teachers’ union calls for investigation into Toronto trustee who criticized nudity at Pride parade