Kristopher Wells, an expert in gender identity says the firing of a Canadian transgendered teacher, John Buterman (pictured), by a Roman Catholic school board sends the wrong message to students.

CBC reports:
(Alberta, Canada) John Buterman, who worked as a substitute teacher for about six months, was removed from the Greater St. Albert Catholic school board's substitute teacher list last year. Born as a woman, Buterman, whose name was Jan before a legal change, is going though a sex change and was removed from the list after telling the school board he had gender identity disorder. A letter from the board explained the move, saying a gender change goes against the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.

"So, the unfortunate message that this firing sends to students is, 'It's not OK to be different, whatever facet of difference you may have in your life,'" said Kristopher Wells, a researcher at the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services at the University of Alberta. READ MORE