Anyway, I'm happy to see that Lindsay Willow , a teacher, was awarded damageshere.
In 2000, two teachers (men) saw Willow and a grade 12 student leaving the locker room together. They said the student looked embarassed and accused the teacher of abuse. Even after the student and the police said nothing happened, the school continued to treat Willow as a someone not to be trusted. Her classes were monitored by the principal and her involement in extra-curriculars was cut off.

I know that women can be just as homophobic as men, but I have heard that some men are wary of lesbians because men are unnecessary to them - this is a blow to the fragile ego. This case is also an example of the common stereotype that gay people cannot control themselves and are basically promiscuous sex machines.

Edited to add qualifier some before men.

[ 12 May 2006: Message edited by: Summer ]

Note that I said heard, not read. I did do a quick google search just now and did find this:

"Why are lesbian women hated? Because they are living proof that things have gotten out of hand. Women are now able to be economically independent of men . . . barely, and thus are able to live a lesbian lifestyle. This has been true only within the last couple of decades. For millennia, most women had to marry in order to survive, and a lesbian life was not possible. Lesbians don't need a man. Women must be forced to "need" a man because men are justifiably afraid that they won't want a man because of the definition of the "normal" straight man. In their personal lives, lesbians fall outside male control and thus are breaking a primary rule of the system" source

Of course this is just one persons opinion, but probably not the only one. I also vaguely recall seeing a similar argument discussed on Irshad Manji's website once, but could't find it this time.

I've not come across the notion that men are intimidated by lesbians except for one fellow I knew who's wife left him for a cousellor at the women's resource center.

That's reality today.

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Originally posted by lucas:
Yes, the student recanted... thankfully.

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Originally posted by Wilf Day:

Not sure what incident you're referreing to here, but the student in the Nova Scotia case never said anything to recant.

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Glad you posted this WD - I was going to do the same thing. To recant means to take back a previous statement or belief. The student here never made any accusations; and was consistent with what happened throughout. Of course accusations by a student have to be taken seriously. In this case, two teachers misinterpreted a look on the student's face and even after a police investigation, still treated the teacher as a criminal.

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Will the teacher (lesbian or not) ever really escape that dark cloud...

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I think Lindsay Willow will be okay. Her two accusers have lost a lot of credibility during this Commission hearing -- and, truth be told, they didn't have a lot of credibility before it started. (I know teachers and former teachers from that school.)

As far as I can judge, she has had a lot of public support.

As for the union not backing her up, that is really no surprise. I found myself in need of the union's support and found myself with ... well.. nothing. My experience was that the union was extremely effective in achieving pay raises during negotiations every three years... they had the mechanisms and the people to accomplish THIS task. When it came to helping a member in trouble, they were like deer in the headlights. In fact, I think they sold me down the river. They were more concerned with 'optics' than helping a teacher. It's a big reason why I left teaching.