The teacher worked at three schools on a temporary, part-time basis from January 2022, preparing lessons and helping students with musical ensembles.
She has asked the Federal Court to order a public apology from Sydney Catholic Schools, and financial damages for the hurt and humiliation caused by sexual discrimination she allegedly experienced after transitioning.
The tutor said she agreed to be relocated to a new school but was not offered another teaching job. (Alan Porritt/AAP PHOTOS)
In an email in late 2023, she informed her employer that she was now a woman who used she/her pronouns, documents filed with the court said.
She said she agreed to be relocated to another school in 2024 so that students did not ask questions about her change in appearance.
But this did not occur and the tutor was not offered any further teaching roles, her pleading said.
In February 2024, she attended a meeting where allegedly "intrusive" questions were asked regarding the affirmation of her gender identity.
"The applicant's experience of this meeting was confronting, humiliating, insulting and intimidating," her claim said.
The following month, she was allegedly invited to take leave without pay, which she declined.
In May, she was offered an administrative role without student contact.
This was also turned down.
A Sydney Catholic Schools spokesman said it would be inappropriate to comment on the case. (April Fonti/AAP PHOTOS)
At a meeting in June, she claims she was asked further intrusive questions about which bathroom she would use and what her response would be to parents, staff and students who complained or had queries.
Suggesting she go to work at one school, Sydney Catholic Schools' director of people and culture allegedly said an internal email could be sent to staff informing them the tutor was a transgender woman.
She did not agree to this and the re-allocation did not occur.
The organisation's conduct deprived the teacher from building rapport with students, impaired her privacy and required her to protect her own safety from discrimination at work, the court documents said.
A spokesman for Sydney Catholic Schools - which runs 147 primary and high schools across the city - told AAP it would be inappropriate to comment on a matter already before the court.
"Sydney Catholic Schools have filed our response to the claims of anti-discrimination made in the case and believe it is essential for the privacy and dignity of all involved that we limit comment," he said.
The Catholic school body is yet to formally lodge a defence to the Federal Court case.
Anna Brown said many teachers were discriminated against or hiding who they are to keep their jobs. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)
Equality Australia chief executive Anna Brown said she was aware of teachers being fired from schools due to LGBTQI discrimination.
A 2024 report by the advocacy group found discrimination against gay and transgender individuals was endemic in religious schools and organisations nationwide.
"For every person who speaks out, there are countless more who have been discriminated against or are hiding who they are because they want to keep their jobs or stay in school," Ms Brown said.
In August 2024, the federal government abandoned a push for religious discrimination law reform that aimed to add protections for LGBTQI staff and students.
At the time Ms Brown called the move "devastating" for Australians, including gay and trans teachers, who were looking for better legal protections than those under existing discrimination laws that include carve-outs for religiously run educational institutions.
Religious bodies have argued the exemptions are needed to protect their schools' faith-based characters.
Lifeline 13 11 14
Fullstop Australia 1800 385 578
