Brody's Notes... Belgian Physical Education Teacher Wants To Change Sex

By Brody Levesque (Bethesda, Maryland) Mar 28 | A physical education teacher in an elementary school located in Le Province du Brabant Wallon near Brussels, Belgium, has informed the school's director [Principal] that he wishes to transition to female and undergo gender reassignment surgery. The school's administrators have since met with the instructor's colleagues informing them of the situation and have sent a letter to parents of 240 children enrolled in school, inviting them to a meeting set for March 30th.
Belgian Newspaper Le Soir correspondent Hugues Dorzée reported in the March 27th Saturday edition that;

"It is the extraordinary story of an elementary school in Brabant (which we will not mention the name deliberately) is facing an unprecedented situation: the physical education teacher, call him Vincent, is convinced he is a woman. In recent months, he decided to change his sex. The principal has officially been informed of the transformation project and is attempting to best manage this delicate situation which is causing a stir in this institution of 240 students in the free network funded non-denominational institution."

During a press conference, Belgian French Community & Education Minister, Marie-Dominique Simonet, explained: 

Marie-Dominique Simonet   Photo By Le Soir

"The instructor has been on good terms with the school's Director and the case is being handled at the local school level."

However Ms. Simonet noted that at the request of the school's director, mobile teams, composed of specialists from outside the school, have been rushed to Brabant Wallon. Their mission is to assist and oversee staff and students. An information meeting with parents is scheduled for this Tuesday, March 30. She also added that the situation remains complex.
For now, Vincent must now manage this "coming out" and prepare for gender reassignment surgery with all that that it implies in terms of personal, social and medical issues. His colleagues, who are anxious to avoid any form of discrimination and the parents, all are facing the impact that the transformation of the teacher could have on the children who will soon be called Madam person they call today Sir .

"We try to manage the issue," the director insists. "But I feel a lot of worries, for all the questioning that is inevitable and the ramifications. We are also challenged to properly address the legal aspects as well as the psychosocial impact. This meeting called with parents will help us to streamline things. "Address a lot of taboos"

On one side are the rules: A teacher who wishes to remain in that institution is protected by several provisions of Belgian and European laws governing rights and anti-discrimination against LGBT persons including the EU's anti-discrimination order of December 12, 2008. 
On the other hand, there is the reality of management of the situation navigating unfamiliar territory for the school staff, administrators and pupils: The future identity of Vincent, the impact of her being transsexual on students, pressure from parents who have already announced their intention to withdraw their child if the teacher remained in place, etc..

"It is the organizing body to best manage the issue in the general interest", reacts Lise-Anne Hanse, Belgian Ministry of Education's Director of Compulsory Education referring to the French Community & Education Ministry.

Yet, as shown by a study 'Being Transgender in India,' conducted in 2008 at the request of the Institute for Equality between women and men, Vincent is far from unique:

"Once the announcement, many find themselves in trans sick leave, leave their jobs or are forced to do, says Sandrine Debunne, coauthor of the study , "There are still a lot of fears and taboos."

A school in Canada recently faced the same situation. In that case, a teacher was fired in 2009 by a Catholic school (St. Albert, Edmonton) after informing the board of his decision to become a man. The teacher's union of the teacher has since filed a complaint of discrimination against the governing body (school board) of the school. A large group of parents has also voiced support for his reinstatement.
The school board justified its decision by the need to protect students from sexual confusion that are transgender. They also relied on the teachings of the Catholic church that a gender a person is born with is determined by God, people can not change sex. Lawyers for the school board offered the teacher a job where he would not be in contact with young people, which the teacher refused. Lawyers for the school board offered the teacher a job where he would not be in contact with young people, which the teacher refused. The principal argument was cited as:

"Your sex change might create confusion among our students and their parents."

The Brabant Wallon school's teachers have expressed their desire to accept their colleague's decision to transition to a female although reactions of parents has been mixed as it seems that a small minority of parents have already expressed their intention to withdraw their child from the school.
In Belgium, a teacher who wants to match his/her physical his/her psychic identity is protected by law as the federal, state communities, and regions have enacted laws and decrees prohibiting discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation. (Including anti-discrimination decree of December 2008 in the Belgian French Community). Under Belgian Law, the administrative changes of name and designation of sex on the identity card are governed by an Act of May 10, 2007.
In 2006, the Belgian Ministry of Education had distributed to all of the country's schools a teaching & educational manual entitled 'Tackling Homophobia,' which specifically addresses homophobia, lesbophobia and transphoie (Fear of transgender people.) issues and how to handle the situations as they occur.