More than 200 Toronto high school students say they want Toronto school trustee Sam Sotiropoulos suspended for his comments about the Gay Pride parade, which they feel are homophobic, and for suggesting transgendered students could be mentally ill.

“If the TDSB really is all about students and being accepting, why do they let this man get away with criticizing everything the board stands for?” asked Malvern Collegiate student Georgia Koumantaros, part of the Malvern Students Against Sexual Stereotyping club.

The 16-year-old addressed a Toronto District School Board committee meeting Wednesday, saying students are offended at a tweet in which Sotiropoulos cited a blog that called the Gay Pride parade a “freak show” and another tweet that suggested transgendered students might be mentally ill.

“He belittled the Gay Pride parade, which is a celebration of people who have not always had equal rights,” said Georgia, one of about 12 students from Malvern and Danforth Collegiate who attended the TDSB’s Administration, Finance and Accountability committee meeting Wednesday.

“If a student tweeted something like that, we’d be suspended, or at the very least we’d have to write an essay about the negative impact it has on school climate,” argued the Grade 11 student.

When told it’s not possible for the public to have a trustee suspended, Georgia responded: “He should at least be made to do community service, or write an essay — or apologize.”

Trustee Sheila Cary-Meagher said the students are raising concerns many trustees have shared.

“They’re right: what’s sauce for the goose should be sauce for the gander,” she said.

Trustees at the committee meeting gave the student a round of applause for her presentation, although it is not clear whether the issue of Sotiropoulos’s tweets will be referred on for future discussion.

One tweet by Sotiropoulos that the students cited was: “Until I see scientific proof that transgenderism exists and is not simply a mental illness, I reserve the right not to believe in it.”

Students who signed the petition argue that this comment violated Ontario’s Accepting Schools Act, the board’s own guidelines on accommodating transgendered students and the board’s own code of conduct.

However, Sotiropoulos, who was connected to the meeting by telephone, argued that board lawyer Tony Brown has told him “I have not violated anything . . . I have the right to express my opinion under the Charter of Rights. You seem to think you know better than the board lawyer.”

Unrattled by his tone, the high school student responded: “Yes, you’re 100 per cent entitled to your own opinion — at home and with friends — but when you use the hashtag #tdsb and your Twitter name is ‘@TrusteeSam’ then you are speaking for the board.”

All trustees should be accountable for their comments on social media, argued Malvern Grade 12 student Scott Phyper, “because in this day and age, what you say on social media is part of what the TDSB is about.”

Sotiropoulos’ tweet about transgendered students has also sparked an Ontario Human Rights complaint from a group of parents who argue it violates the human rights codes of both the province and the TDSB. The Elementary Teachers of Toronto also have complained to the TDSB about the tweet.

Earlier this spring, Sotiropoulos drew criticism from city councillors and fellow trustees for his comments about nudity at the Gay Pride parade. Georgia said students chose not to tweet back at Sotiropoulos “because of the way he tweets at people who complain to him.” However the students said they wanted to raise their concerns before voters go to the ballot Monday.

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“We want to bring his behaviour to public attention while the campaign is on,” said Grade 11 student Sarah Lewis. “He’s supposed to be following the school board rules to make schools more accepting.”

Georgia said students know better than to tweet the sort of comments Sotiropoulos has tweeted because “it’s been drilled into us since Grade 4 to be careful what we say online because all your actions have consequences.”