Red Deer Catholic school trustee likens Pride movement to Nazism

rdnewsNOW reached out to current Trustee Monique LaGrange Friday and Saturday, but didn’t hear back.

Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools did share a statement, saying the content of LaGrange’s post, “does not align with the principles and values that guide our division, and Trustee LaGrange does not speak on behalf of the board.”

“Our division is committed to fostering learning environments that are inclusive, respectful, and considerate of all members of our schools and community. We deeply regret any distress that the comments may have caused,” the statement continues.

“In response to learning about this matter, we immediately engaged our Trustee Code of Conduct. According to the Code, issues can be handled through a conciliatory approach if all parties are agreeable. In this instance, Trustee LaGrange removed the social media post from her Facebook page as requested by the board.”

The division says it will conduct a review of its Trustee Code of Conduct, and its foundational statements to reinforce to board members their commitment to respectful and inclusive communication.

They don’t mention any specific further discipline that may come of the matter, or if other parties will be consulted.

But one expert, who calls the situation deeply disturbing, believes an apology is nowhere near enough and that the trustee should resign.

Dr. Kristopher Wells, Associate Professor, and Canada Research Chair for the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth, at Edmonton’s MacEwan University, says an incident like this causes 2SLGBTQ+ students and all citizens to lose confidence that the trustee is capable of discharging their responsibilities.

Dr. Kristopher Wells, Associate Professor, and Canada Research Chair for the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth, MacEwan University. (MacEwan University)

“It’s unbelievable that in 2023 someone would make this comparison of the 2SLGBTQ+ community to the Nazi Party and the atrocities it committed. But this is definitely part of a larger trend we’re seeing across Alberta and Canada with discriminatory and hateful attacks against the 2SLGBTQ+ community,” Dr. Wells says.

“What’s really unfortunate in this case is we’re seeing it from an elected official. It’s close to hate propaganda which is illegal under the Criminal Code of Canada, and I would hope that a charge is laid. If this trustee won’t resign, I’d call on the minister of education to remove her, because not only do these comments impact the ability for her to effectively do her job, it calls into question the integrity of the entire education system. These comments are beyond any form of remediation.”

Alberta Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides did in fact react to the story late Friday, posting on X (formerly Twitter) that, “No one should have to live in fear of violence, discrimination, or exclusion. All students deserve to feel safe and welcome in schools across the province. I am beyond disappointed to see this and categorically condemn these actions. I will be following up with the Chair of Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools board to discuss this incident.”

A post on X (formerly Twitter) from Alberta Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides on Sept. 1, 2023, reacting to the matter involving Red Deer Catholic Schools Trustee Monique LaGrange.

Health Minister LaGrange, who was previously Education Minister, also provided a statement to us Saturday, saying, “As a former school board trustee, I strongly believe all students should feel safe and welcome in their classroom. I was disappointed to learn about this social media post and I disavow the message it sends.”

Wells says the timing of the trustee’s post is exceptionally poor given that on Sunday, Calgary will host what may be Alberta’s largest Pride parade ever.

It also comes, he notes, in the wake of several hateful incidents targeting the 2SLGBTQ+ community in the province this year.

Just this week, RCMP in Fort Macleod confirmed they are investigating the burning of a Pride flag. Four youth in Fort Macleod are also facing mischief charges after throwing a foul-smelling oil into a venue where a Pride event was happening last Saturday.

A truck was captured doing burnouts on a Pride crosswalk in St. Albert in late June, and on June 1, the start of international Pride Month, the rainbow painted steps of the Ponoka United Church were splattered with tar and eggs.

That’s not to mention an offensive conspiracy theory about transgender students peddled by former Lacombe-Ponoka UCP candidate Jennifer Johnson during this year’s provincial election. Johnson was ultimately booted from the UCP, but despite her comments was elected with about 67 per cent of the vote.

“Comments like LaGrange’s show how much misinformation and disinformation there actually is when it comes to understanding the lived experiences and realities of 2SLGBTQ+ youth who unfortunately still experience hostile classrooms and communities. Attacks by adults and elected officials create a culture of hate and fear,” Wells continues, adding that studies have shown youth subjected to such an environment are much more prone to having mental health issues like anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation.

“It’s often said schools are the heart of communities, and we look to them to be leading these conversations because they are raising and teaching the next generation of leaders.”

Wells is part of the creation of what’s called the Rise Project, a website dedicated to helping new and existing educators infuse 2SLGBTQ+ -respectful methods and perspectives into their personal pedagogy, bridging a knowledge gap, he says.

He notes Alberta still does not have mandated sections on 2SLGBTQ+ history and perspectives in the curriculum, and furthermore, Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools doesn’t have a Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) policy, while many others do. Sexual orientation is, however, referred to several times in the context of harassment and respect in the division’s Administrative Procedure 103, as is restorative discipline.

“Such a policy would be one positive step forward for the division coming out of this. If the school board really wants to do something to ensure 2SLGBTQ+ students are welcomed and supported within their school, one of the first things they should do is establish a clear policy,” Wells says. “These are the systemic issues behind comments like this. It’s one thing to denounce comments; it’s another to focus on the real problems within the system, particularly within the Catholic education system.

“It seems the more people advocate for inclusion, the more resistance we see, and that resistance is escalating, resulting in these hateful attacks,” Wells goes on, agreeing that something’s got to give. “Leadership is what matters the most. The answer is more education, and when the 2SLGBTQ+ community is under attack, our leaders need to not back down, but double down in their support for 2SLGBTQ+ youth.”

Meanwhile, in a statement released Saturday, Central Alberta Pride Society (CAPS) describes LaGrange’s post as, “very hateful,” adding they’re, “disgusted that yet another elected official within central Alberta is spewing uneducated information and pure hatred.”

“We have sent a letter to Red Deer Catholic Schools Board Chair Anne Marie Watson requesting a formal apology from LaGrange along with her immediate resignation, whether voluntary or involuntary. The statement issued by their board is a very basic necessity, but in this case, it is not nearly enough,” the statement reads.

“Our elected officials must do better. They need to be educated on diversity, inclusion, and acceptance of all. Red Deer City RCMP have been requested to investigate this incident as well.”

RCMP have not verified if an investigation is yet underway.

(with files from The Canadian Press)

by Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Red Deer Catholic school trustee likens Pride movement to Nazism

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