A flag with the phrase #LoveWins is flown at a rally outside Red Deer City Hall to show support for Bill 24. (rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

standing firm

Red Deer Public Schools maintaining status quo on SOGI policy

Oct 12, 2019 | 1:30 PM

In the wake of a strongly-worded letter from the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), Red Deer Public Schools says it will not be changing its policies around sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI).

The JCCF dispersed a letter Oct. 9, though not to Red Deer Public Schools, which stated that the School Act, the legislation in effect under the NDP, infringed the rights of parents as it relates to being notified of a child’s participation in a gay-straight alliance (GSA).

The letter goes on to suggest that because the United Conservatives have implemented the Education Act, school boards should do away with previous policy which restricted such information from parents. It reiterates that should school boards maintain those policies, they will be violating the Charter-protected rights and freedoms of students and parents.

“No, Red Deer Public will not be making any changes to our already strong policy regarding sexual orientation and gender identification,” says Board Chair Nicole Buchanan. “We believe the safety of all students is extremely important.”

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“Possibly, we were left out because our policy on SOGI is extremely strong.”

Red Deer Public’s policy (no. 19) states that any request for a GSA or QSA (queer-straight alliance) to be formed shall be supported at all schools in the district.

(Click to enlarge)

It also states, “The district shall maintain the right of LGTBQ+ students and staff to privacy and confidentiality regarding their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.”

Cameron Litowski, a grade 12 student at Hunting Hills High School, and participant in the school’s QSA, says when a stance such as this comes from the top, it trickles down to the students, who in turn feel safer.

“We’re in the 21st century and everyone’s going to fight for who we are, but it’s really easy for people to let things slide,” he says. “When your school district doesn’t have these kinds of policies, it also trickles down; there’s fear and it’s ultimately taken out on students at the school level.”

Litowski is also critical of the JCCF’s usage of the word ‘secret,’ when referring to the act of a school not informing parents of their child’s involvement in a GSA.

“Secrets are different than protecting people. When you have a secret, there’s malicious intent, there’s something that happened a parent should know,” he explains. “With someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity, that is something the student must have space for, to express how they feel, learn who they are and then come out to their parents.”

He adds that GSAs have been proven to decrease suicide and depression rates, for both students who do and don’t identify as LGBTQ+.

“I’m really happy to hear Red Deer Public Schools is allowing us to have that space, and not only tolerating it, but outwardly saying ‘we will protect you.'”

The JCCF is led by John Carpay, who in 2018 said the Pride flag is akin to Communist and Nazi logos.

Minister of Education Adriana LaGrange has since stated that Carpay and his organization do not speak for the government of Alberta.