Education Minister happy with success of local QSAs

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Eggen says it’s important to note GSAs and QSAs don’t impinge on people’s rights but create a safe environment for young people.

“This whole idea of having a safe and caring place includes kids to have the confidence to be in a GSA and keep that confidential if they choose to do so,” he explains. “It’s a reasonable way to create a safe space, so we’re protecting that and it’s going great and we have the vast majority of schools behind us and the vast majority of Albertans who are behind us too.”

Student Alex Jones says having Eggen speak with them means a lot.

“Knowing that somebody wants to listen to us, knowing that someone is going to listen to us I think, it’s really encouraging,” said Jones.

Cameron Litowski feels it’s important to have a government that will support their rights as human beings.

“We need to ensure everyone is educated, so everybody is safe because that is the forefront of what we are doing,” he explained.

Student Elisa Anderson was grateful the meeting was open to parents, “So that people who were supportive or who had questions or wanted more information were welcome to come and learn as well.”

Katherine Jones says the right to safety is the biggest reason kids need GSAs or QSAs.

“Them feeling safe as a person and secure in who they are and having a support system is just so important to growing up well as a child,” she explains. “I know there’s fear surrounding it, with parents and older people, but it’s better than the alternative which is an isolated child who feels alone and afraid and potentially killing themselves because they don’t think they have any support. I think that a gay child is better than a child who is dead.”

Bev Manning, Board Chair for Red Deer Public Schools says it’s an honour to be able to offer the best possible educational experience for students.

“I think this addresses a whole lot of safety issues, as well as respect and equity issues in our district,” says Manning. “I hope that they take away a feeling of respect and admiration and certainly at all levels of government, not just in our community or in our schools but at all levels of government. I think that whenever you have an opportunity to have a conversation with the Minister of Education, it can provide a lot of input that he can take back and use in his government, so I’m hoping they feel that they were heard today and had some input.”

Manning says the students explain it best.

“They’re living the experience,” says Manning. “I think what they’re looking for isn’t necessarily a whole bunch of people who agree with their opinion but they want a conversation. They want to be able to talk to people about it in a respectful and honest and open manner.”

Hunting Hills has had a Queer Straight Alliance (QSA) for fours years, while Lindsay Thurber has had one in place for roughly eight years with its origins dating back to 2000.