After the Regina public school board voted down a motion last year that would have allowed its schools to determine how to celebrate Pride, a group called Queen City For All formed.
In the lead-up to this year’s municipal and school board elections, Queen City For All’s volunteers asked the 16 people running to become trustees to see where they stood.
The seven successful candidates, including two incumbents, all responded with support — albeit to varying degrees — to the survey question about ensuring Pride is recognized and that LGBTQ2 staff and students feel welcomed.
“Voters actually embraced candidates who were empathetic and compassionate and respected diversity,” said Kent Peterson, a spokesperson for Queen City For All.
“I think there will be some good things to happen in the next four years.”
Incoming public school board trustees
Ted Jaleta will be replacing Jane Ekong, who didn’t run again in Subdivision 1.
Jaleta said in his survey answers that he supports giving schools the opportunity to celebrate Pride month in June and that he sees a “need to develop school-wide policies to prevent homophobic behaviour.”
Former Subdivision 2 trustee Aleana Young, who brought forward the controversial motion, made a successful run to become an NDP MLA in the provincial election. Her successor will be Elizabeth Strom, who said in the survey that she looks forward to hearing from the LGBTQ2 community “on how students and staff are being treated in the classroom.”
She says she wants to champion values of respect, belonging, knowledge and responsibility to “create a path for every student, including LGBTQ2 to flourish.”
A supporter of the original motion, Adam Hicks, was re-elected in Subdivision 3.
While noting in the survey that it “could have been worded differently,” he added he is “supportive and an advocate for all students to have the right to feel as though they belong (one of our core values).”
Cindy Andersen, who was re-elected in Subdivision 4, said she “will continue to support Pride and all celebrations regarding diversity.”
She said the board needs to ensure that its policies and procedures are regularly reviewed to ensure “equity for all,” and referenced continuing support for existing GSAs and mental health initiatives.
Subdivision 5 incumbent Tanya Foster, who did not support the original motion, lost her seat to Sarah Cummings Truszkowski.
In the survey, Cummings Truszkowski said she was running because that motion was defeated.
“I was at that School Board meeting on Oct.15, 2019 when it was voted down. I left in tears. LGBTQ2+ children, teachers and families deserve all the love and support available to make sure they feel safe and included at school and in life,” she wrote in her survey answers.
Replacing former board chair Katherine Gagne, who did not run again for the Subdivision 6 seat, will be Tara Molson.
Molson said in the survey that she would “vote and advocate to ensure that the Regina Public School Board celebrates Pride.”
She added: “Regina Public Schools have an incredible responsibility to ensure children are safe and free from harm. I will be advocating for motions for Board commitment and policy creation in Regina Public that not only outlines an anti-discrimination/oppressive focus but one that includes affirmation of one’s identity to help foster authenticity and wellbeing.”
In Subdivision 7, Jay Kasperski lost his seat to Lacey Weekes.
Weekes, who cited inclusion as a part of her platform, said she would vote “to ensure Pride is celebrated and recognized.”
Changes to separate school board as well
As Queen City For All was established in response to Regina Public Schools defeat of the Pride motion, the survey was administered to the candidates vying for those seats, Peterson said.
The group cares about kids in every school in the city, he said, but did not have the resources to cast a wider net with its survey ahead of the 2020 municipal and school board election.
“Going forward, we’re going to be keeping a close watch on the Regina public school system, but also the separate school system,” Peterson said.
Re-elected to the Catholic school board were: Rob Bresciani, Vicky Bonnell and Robert Kowalchuk. They will be joined by newcomers Shauna Weninger, Juliet Bushi, Ryan Bast and Darren Wilcox.