By Laine Mitchell (Twitter: @Laine_Mitchell)

Strides made for LGBTQ students

Jun 15, 2018 | 7:15 AM

Though the openness of one’s identity in a rural middle or high school can be challenging, one school superintendent says strides have been made for LGBTQ students. 

Brad Volkman, Superintendent for Wild Rose School Division said in his career in education that spans over 30 years, he never would have seen a GSA in a school when he first started.

 “Having GSAs, that wouldn’t have been a visible group or club in schools back when I first started for sure,” said Volkman. “That’s a good thing and is progress, because we want students to feel like they belong. We certainly are helping kids through some difficult times that they otherwise would have had some more difficulties with.”

He added that the addition of policies that address LGBTQ rights at the board level for students and staff has been a step in the right direction.

 “It’s important that we respect, in a country like Canada, in a province like Alberta, that we respect everyone right to have those beliefs and live the life that they feel called to live.” 

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There are currently two gay-straight alliances in two high schools in WRSD, with one in Frank Maddock High School in Drayton Valley and the other in West Central High School in Rocky Mountain House. 

Volkman said although the topic of sexuality isn’t often talked about in rural Alberta, the students he has heard of who do identify as LGBTQ have been supported. 

He used the example of the family of a transgender student in WRSD who contacted him earlier this year, and told him that their son was very supported by staff at the school. However, questions from classmates in school always dodged the young man. 

“The teachers, the school division made him feel very supported. That was the positive side. But the mom did mention that because kids in the school knew that their son is transgender, there are questions,” said Volkman. “And they aren’t always comfortable going directly to their son to ask those questions. There’s still a bit of uncertainty on how to approach it, and how to talk about it.”

WRSD encompasses a large swath of west central Alberta, with nearly nearly 20 schools scattered across small towns.

June marks Pride Month across Alberta and the world, when LGBTQ communities come together and celebrate the freedom to be themselves.