Toronto Catholic School Teacher Brags of ‘Trans Jesus’ Icon In Class Prayer Space

Gay Pride Parade in Mannheim Germany
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Chris Tomlinson

A teacher in the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) has bragged on social media about having a Pride flag and depictions of Jesus Christ as transgender in a prayer space in his class.

Toronto, Ontario Catholic school board teacher Paolo De Buono made a post on Twitter on Monday showing off a “prayer table” in the Catholic school in which he teaches displaying a rainbow LGBT Pride flag and depictions of Christ as half man and half woman:

Reacting to another user named Chanel Pfahl, Mr De Buono, who is said to teach at St. Anne’s elementary school, stated that pupils “should see themselves reflected, & because we need to dismantle systemic homophobia & transphobia, in our schools & classrooms.”

“That’s why my prayer table in a Catholic school in Toronto includes at times a Pride flag & inclusive images of Jesus & Mary,” he added.

Many social media users reacted negatively to the post, some declaring that the images in question are blasphemous.

Mr Du Buono has a history of controversy in his position as a Catholic school teacher in Toronto, and reportedly last year emailed a local priest instructing the clergyman not to talk about gender issues in their classroom or mention certain basic Catholic teachings, such as the fact that only men can join the priesthood.

“When you visit my classroom, you are not permitted to make comments that marriage is only for a male-female couple, that there are only two genders, and that only males can be priests,” De Buono ordered.

“You are not permitted to make negative comments about the Pride images or the non-cisgender image of Jesus,” he added.

“[M]y class is a part of a Catholic school board that is fully public, not private, and I have an obligation to protect their Ontario- and Canada-based human rights as much as possible,” De Buono said.

Campaign Life Coalition (CLC), a Canadian pro-life group, have previously highlighted instances in which Mr De Buono has openly taught against Catholic social teachings on abortion and contraception.

“His employer, the Board of Trustees, has legal justification to terminate his employment. De Buono’s actions represents total defiance towards the moral teachings that he is ethically, spiritually, and contractually obligated to uphold as an employee of the Board, which is itself an arm of the Catholic Church,” the group said.

Mr Buono is not the only controversial Ontario teacher to attract attention in recent months. Last September, a male teacher identifying as female in the city of Oakville stirred controversy after photos emerged of the person wearing gigantic prosthetic breasts in the classroom around children.

The teacher, who goes by the name Kayla Lemieux, was defended by the Trafalgar High School after photos of the teacher went viral on social media.

“We strive to promote a positive learning environment in schools consistent with the values of the HDSB and to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all students, staff and the community, regardless of race, age, ability, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, cultural observance, socioeconomic circumstances or body type/size,” the school said.

It later emerged that the Ontario school was threatening pupils with suspension for taking photographs of the teacher.

Follow Chris Tomlinson on Twitter at @TomlinsonCJ or email at ctomlinson(at)breitbart.com.

 

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