B.C. Human Rights Tribunal orders $750,000 over posts about gender identity

The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal found former trustee Barry Neufeld's posts breached sections of the Human Rights Code and ordered him to pay $750,000; complainants have six months to identify which teachers experienced "severe" injury and may receive portions of the award.

The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal issued a decision in a long-running case involving former Chilliwack school trustee Barry Neufeld and his public posts about gender identity in schools. The tribunal reviewed a series of posts from 2017 onward after a joint complaint by the British Columbia Teachers' Federation and the Chilliwack Teachers' Association. It found that many of those posts violated provisions of the B.C. Human Rights Code and ordered a compensatory award. The decision follows several years of proceedings and public debate around SOGI resources in schools. Key details: - The tribunal assessed 30 posts and determined the majority breached sections of the B.C. Human Rights Code related to discrimination and the publication of discriminatory statements. - The tribunal concluded some of Mr. Neufeld's statements "caused or contributed to a poisoned workplace for LGBTQ teachers," as noted in the decision. - The tribunal ordered Mr. Neufeld to pay $750,000 to a group of teachers; the complainants have six months to identify which educators experienced "severe" injury and are therefore eligible for portions of the award. - Mr. Neufeld's lawyer has stated he plans to challenge the tribunal's decision, indicating further legal steps are likely. Summary: The tribunal's ruling requires a monetary award and sets a six-month period for complainants to identify eligible teachers who may receive portions of that award. Mr. Neufeld's lawyer has announced an intention to challenge the decision, so additional legal proceedings are expected.