Anti-bullying policy voted down in Halton

Update to include sexual orientation, gender identity rejected by four of seven Catholic board trustees

Thestar.com
May 24, 2016
By Kristen Rushowy

Halton Catholic trustees have rejected an update to the school board’s discipline and anti-bullying policy after one raised concerns that mentioning sexual orientation or gender identity could violate religious teachings.

The changes had previously been approved, unanimously, by a trustee committee and at last week’s full board meeting it was explained that the updates are in line with what’s required under the provincial Education Act and Ontario’s Human Rights Code, said Chair Jane Michael.

“It was a shock to all of us, I believe,” said Michael, who expected the amendments - which she considered part of a routine update - to easily pass. Instead, they failed on a 4-3 vote.

And because the board is “already so far behind” in making the required changes that were ready back in February, Ontario’s Ministry of Education “was waiting for an affirmative answer (last) Wednesday morning” after the board meeting, Michael said.

The policy, which covers discipline and safety in schools, will now go back to the same committee, and she’s hoping it will reappear, as is, on the board’s June meeting agenda.

“It has to pass, eventually,” she added.

The Halton Catholic District School Board has, in the past, come under fire on issues surrounding sexual orientation -opposing student clubs called GSAs, or gay-straight alliances. It was also one of a few boards across the country that for several years refused to allow Grade 8 girls to receive the HPV vaccine in school.

At last week’s board meeting, Trustee Anthony Quinn questioned the words “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” from a paragraph in the policy that talked about “creating a safe, caring and accepting school environment” for all students, also including race and socio-economic status, said Michael, adding the policy goes on to mention disciplinary measures such as suspensions and expulsions for violations.

Trustee Paul Marai, who heads the policy committee and helped oversee the changes, called the recent vote unfortunate given all the progress the board has made in “supporting students and making them feel comfortable in our schools.

“In my view, we need to very clearly pass this, with the language included that has been vetted by lawyers and vetted by staff, and do so as quickly as possible.”

Quinn could not be reached by the Star for comment. Neither could the three other trustees who voted against the update: Anthony Danko, Helena Karabela and Susan Trites. (The chair only votes in the case of a tie, and the board’s ninth trustee was absent.)

“All I can tell you is the trustees on the prevailing side wanted an opportunity for further discussion and review,” said Michael, adding Karabela and Trites voted in favour of it at the committee meeting.

She said she was assured by the board’s religion consultant and “it is not going against Catholic teaching at all. Everything is in line.”

Chris D’souza, a father of three who is also a well-known Ontario school board equity expert and consultant, said he was shocked by the vote.

“My children go to that school board,” he said. “I’m very dismayed and saddened by (the trustees’ vote). They are blocking what is a good discipline policy and I don’t like the optics that they are OK with a child being bullied because of sexual orientation.”

Marai said the board’s students, and student trustees, have said they support the changes.

“Our board is committed to providing safe, equitable, inclusive school communities,” added Michael.

The policy will be back on the committee meeting agenda June 14, and if passed, will go before the board again June 21.

“We are trying to get a positive message across in schools to make things clear, to build a positive atmosphere,” said Marai, adding “we were not asking the school board to have a float in the (gay pride) parade ... we were going to make a statement that provides ... safety to our students.”

This latest move, he added, “sends a pretty negative message to our students.”

Past controversies at the Halton Catholic board:

2015

At a meeting where trustees discussed the updated sex-education curriculum, police had to be called after a motion by Oakville Trustee Anthony Danko to postpone the changes - which he believed violated Catholic teachings - failed on a vote. That sparked chaos among a crowd gathered in the foyer at board headquarters and confrontations continued as the crowd dispersed into the parking lot. No charges were laid.

2013

Trustees ended five-year ban on allowing Grade 8 girls to get the HPV vaccine in school, and begin allowing public health nurses in to give the inoculations against the human papillomavirus, which leads to cervical and other cancers. Halton Catholic had been one of just a few boards across the country that did not allow the vaccine program.

2011

Trustees refused to allow gay-straight alliances in its schools, clubs that promote positive environments for students of all sexual orientations, despite a new Ontario police on equity and inclusion. (They were later forced to change their stance.)

Also in 2011, then-chair Alice Anne LeMay remarked that gay-straight alliances in schools do not fit the teachings of the Catholic Church, and that’s also why the board doesn’t allow “Nazi groups.” She later apologized on the board’s website.