Settlement reached between Winnipeg school division and transgender girl

WINNIPEG – A human rights complaint has been settled between a Winnipeg school division and the family of a transgender student who wasn’t allowed to use the girls’ bathroom.

The River East Transcona School Division says in a release that details of the settlement are confidential.

The family of Bella Burgos filed the complaint in 2014, alleging the school division had discriminated against the eight-year-old girl.

They said a parent at Joseph Teres School had confronted the girl and told her not to use the girls’ washroom and officials later agreed.

The family eventually moved to B.C. and a hearing had been scheduled for July.

The school division says it became the first in the province earlier this year to publish gender identity guidelines emphasizing the rights of transgender students and staff.

“This has been a very enlightening journey,” Kelly Barkman, superintendent of the school division, said in the release. “We are extremely proud of what has been accomplished collaboratively.

Bella’s mother, Elizabeth Burgos, said in a statement that the family’s goal was to ensure better education of transgender rights.

“We are pleased that our ongoing discussions with RETSD through the commission have resulted in a tool that others can adopt, so transgender students and staff feel protected and welcomed in their communities,” she said.

Last year, the family of a seven-year-old transgender girl filed a human rights complaint against Edmonton Catholic Schools after she was told not to use the girls’ washroom.