Monique LaGrange won’t be removed as Red Deer Catholic trustee

Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides confirmed to rdnewsNOW earlier this month that the board does indeed have the power under the Education Act to remove a trustee if they find it necessary.

rdnewsNOW asked Hollman to explain the rationale behind not removing LaGrange as a trustee entirely, but he said policy prevents him from speaking on that because it was discussed behind closed doors. Instead, he shared a message for the community.

RDCRS Board Chair Murray Hollman reads some opening remarks to start the board’s regular meeting on Sept. 26, 2023. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

“RDCRS is committed to fostering welcome, caring, respectful, safe learning environments within our division. As always, our students and staff, through education, and their safety, will always remain our top priorities. The content of Trustee LaGrange’s social media post does not align with our principles and values that guide our division,” Hollman remarked to rdnewsNOW during a media recess.

“Our division is committed to fostering learning environments that are inclusive, respectful and considerate of all members of our schools and communities. We deeply regret any distress that Trustee LaGrange’s comments may have caused, and from the outset we took this matter very serious and explored all avenues available to use as a board to address the situation.”

He also claimed the division has received thousands of communications in the form of letters, emails and phone calls from concerned citizens on both sides of the coin.

Chief among the consequences for LaGrange are that she shall:

be censured from being part of all and any board committees, and from attending and participating in board committee meetings; that includes all ASBA and ACSTA meetings and conferences
not represent the board or school division in any official capacity, including to the media and at functions (including graduations and masses)
within 90 days take sensitivity training on Holocaust, 2SLGBTQ+, use of social media, and human rights
at end of 90 days, issue sincere letter of apology
not post any content of similar nature to original meme

Failure of LaGrange to complete these tasks or adhere to the other items contained in the motion could result in another Code of Conduct complaint, Hollman clarified.

Furthermore, Superintendent Kathleen Finnigan will arrange for the entire board of trustees to partake in workshops and education sessions with the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre and Alberta Human Rights Commission. The board will also partake in workshops which look at taking a pastoral approach to supporting students in the development and understanding of their sexuality.

In the scandal’s immediate wake, LaGrange responded to no media calls, save for granting at least one interview with the Western Standard.

On Sept. 5, the board held a special meeting to discuss the matter involving LaGrange. The minutes for that meeting were approved Sept. 26, and note multiple key motions which were made.

Trustee Kim Pasula first made a motion to seek legal advice, opposed only by Chair Anne Marie Watson.

Moments later, Watson made a motion which stated that she, as the spokesperson for the board, “could not in good conscience uphold the actions of the board on the matter of Trustee LaGrange’s offensive social media post.”

(rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

Watson’s motion concluded that she asked the board to accept her resignation as chair, a position she’d held for some time. The motion was opposed only by Trustee Cynthia Leyson. Leyson then tabled a motion resigning as vice-chair, which was carried unanimously.

Hollman was then nominated for the position of board chair, which came to fruition.

To conclude the Sept. 5 special meeting, the board voted to write to the Education Minister to ask him to dismiss LaGrange, which as noted, Nicolaides would later confirm the board has that power themselves.

Sept. 7, the Alberta Catholic School Trustees’ Association (ACSTA) stripped LaGrange of her director role.

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Trustee LaGrange removed as ACSTA director, Minister of Education also speaks

Then, on Sept. 20, LaGrange was one of a few keynote speakers at an anti-SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) education protest in downtown Red Deer.

For the same in-camera meeting reasoning, Chair Hollman couldn’t comment on whether her participation at the protest had any bearing on the decisions levied Tuesday.

Central Alberta Pride Society provided rdnewsNOW with a statement Tuesday evening, stating the organization is saddened and disheartened that LaGrange is being allowed to remain a trustee.

“We also feel that the resolution requests are not adequate enough. We still want her removed, whether voluntarily or involuntarily,” the statement says. “Her recent appearance and speech during the 1 Million March speaks volumes to the fact no level of courses or training will change her beliefs towards the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

RCMP said earlier this month that they were “reviewing” the matter involving LaGrange after formal complaints were made to them. rdnewsNOW confirmed with RCMP on Thursday of this week that it has now the investigation deemed the Facebook post non-criminal in nature.

LaGrange was not in attendance for the start of Tuesday’s meeting.

READ MORE:

Red Deer Catholic school trustee likens Pride movement to Nazism

by Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Monique LaGrange won’t be removed as Red Deer Catholic trustee

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