A transgender Canadian school bus driver who was dismissed after wearing a pink miniskirt while working has filed a human rights complaint, alleging discrimination.
Video showing the driver in what appeared to be a schoolgirl-style outfit began circulating in June 2025 after parents recorded the individual at St Michael the Archangel Catholic Elementary School in Woodbridge, Ontario, according to Reduxx.
Parents confronted the driver and questioned why the bus had been given the name ‘Lolita Line,’ which they said appeared on a piece of paper attached to the vehicle’s windshield.
The name appeared to allude to Vladimir Nabokov’s 1955 novel Lolita, which depicts a literature professor’s obsession with and sexual abuse of his 12-year-old stepdaughter. Jeffrey Epstein was also believed to have been a fan of the book.
The driver, identified only as L Z, was wearing a thigh-high pink skirt, a white ruffled blouse with a pink bow and exposed midriff, knee-high white stockings and a headband when parents approached.
The York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB), which runs the school, apologized to parents after the footage circulated and said L Z would no longer transport students to the school.
On March 16, L Z filed a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario against the school board and former employer Landmark Bus Lines. The complaint alleges that he was dismissed because of anti-transgender discrimination.
The case might not have attracted public attention because the tribunal does not publish details of upcoming hearings online. L Z sought a publication ban to protect his identity, however, and the request was granted on October 13, bringing the proceedings to light.
A Canadian transgender school bus driver, identified only as L.Z., filed a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario alleging that he was dismissed because of anti-trans discrimination
Video showing the driver wearing a revealing schoolgirl-style outfit and knee-high white stockings began circulating in June 2025
L Z’s complaint alleges that he experienced ‘discrimination with respect to employment because of ethnic origin, gender identity, and sex contrary to the Human Rights Code.’
L Z also sought anonymity, stating in court documents that ‘she is a transgender woman’ who ‘has faced threats to her safety and discriminatory labels due to transphobic stereotypes.’
Landmark Bus Lines did not oppose the anonymity request, while the school board did not submit a response to L Z’s application.
In the video, which appears to have been recorded during a conversation with parents, L Z said: ‘I do this every day, and I don’t think there is an issue.’
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A parent then asked: ‘You picked up the kids dressed like that?’
‘Yep, and I don’t think there’s any problem,’ L Z replied before getting back on the bus and starting the engine.
The driver did not answer repeated questions from parents about the bus’s ‘Lolita Line’ name.
The term ‘Lolita’ has re-entered public discussion following the release of documents connected to Epstein, the convicted sex offender whose private jet was nicknamed the Lolita Express.
The footage was recorded at St Michael the Archangel Catholic Elementary School in Woodbridge, Ontario
Jeffrey Epstein was believed to have admired Nabokov’s novel and gave his private jet the name Lolita Express
After the video circulated, the YCDSB said that school transportation in Ontario is provided by third-party companies and issued an apology to parents.
‘The safety and well-being of our students and staff is the top priority of St Michael the Archangel CES, so we wanted to provide you with this information,’ the board said in its statement.
The full details of L Z’s allegations and requested remedies have not been made clear, and future dates in the proceedings are also uncertain.
If the complaint succeeds, the tribunal could award compensation for lost wages, employment benefits, bonuses and other expenses.
It could also order L Z’s former employer to reinstate him in his previous role.
Reduxx has described the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario as taking liberal positions.
Our News Outlet has contacted the YCDSB and Landmark Bus Lines for comment.
