The Pride flag won’t be flying at Catholic schools in the Peterborough area for Pride Month in June, school board trustees voted on Tuesday night.
During its board meeting on Tuesday night, trustees with the Peterborough Northumberland Victoria Catholic District School Board voted 4-3 against a motion to update its Display of Flags on Board Property procedure, which included direction to fly flags for “special purposes” — including Pride flags — at the board’s schools and facilities during the month of June.
Board chairperson David Bernier tells Global News Peterborough he cast a vote after the motion had lost because “it was too big an issue for him not to do so.”
Prior to his vote, the motion was lost in a 3-3 split.
Bernier notes the topic garnered more feedback than any other issue he has faced during his 15 years as a trustee. The school board has 36 schools throughout Peterborough, Peterborough County, the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County and Durham Region.
“We received a great deal of feedback on the proposed motion from members of our community, more so than any other issue during my 15 years as a Trustee for PVNCC,” he stated. “We know that some within our community may not understand or may be disappointed with the outcome of our deliberation. Trustees voted with their conscience on this matter and, in a vote of 4-3, the motion put before the trustees was defeated.
“As a Catholic school trustee, I am entrusted with serving and protecting Catholic Education in Ontario, ensuring that our faith stands out, that all we do is in line with that faith.”
The vote comes as June is Pride Month.
Director of Education Joan Carragher says the issue was a divisive one for the trustees.
“I know that some in our board will be disappointed with the outcome of this decision, while others may support it,” she said.
According to Durham This Week, trustees Emmanuel Pinto, Linda Ainsworth and Michelle Griepsma voted against the motion, which was first brought forward by trustee Helen McCarthy in late May. Trustees Braden Leal and Kevin MacKenzie also supported McCarthy’s motion, which suggested to either hoist the flag in June or, at minimum, during Pride Week (June 17 to 25).
However, her motion at the May meeting was filed under “new business,” and a motion of notice was filed so trustees could have additional time to consider the proposal at its next meeting on June 22.
In a number of messages on the board’s website and social media feeds following the voting result, the school board reiterated that its schools “welcome and value all students and celebrate diversity within our communities and we are committed to supporting the 2SLGBTQ+ members in our PVNCC community.”
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Bernier says the board’s “Wonderfully Made” teaching resource helps schools to continue to provide lessons and discussion guides for staff that highlight inclusionary practices.
“As Catholics, we believe that we are wonderfully made in the image and likeness of a God who created us and loves us unconditionally — just as we are,” he stated. “We are called to love and celebrate one another, just as God loves and celebrates each one of us. We honour the inherent dignity of every person by treating one another with care, compassion, and respect.”
Bernier says in the upcoming school year, there will be an update to the board’s Diversity Administrative Procedure and the hiring of a new position – a board equity advisor. The board’s demographic data/student census project this fall will gather data on marginalized groups and provide targeted resources and personnel support to further assist students from a variety of groups, including those who are LGBTQ2, he said.
“We are committed to nurturing safe and inclusive learning environments in each of our schools,” said Bernier. “While our staff work hard to create and maintain welcoming spaces, we know that there is always more we can do as a system to ensure that all students experience a true sense of belonging and we as trustees remain steadfastly committed to this mission.”
Carragher says the board affirms its “steadfast commitment” to supporting their 2SLGBTQ+ students.
“We must now work even harder to ensure all of our students, especially our most vulnerable students, feel our love and know that they belong in our school communities,” she said in a statement.
“We will not deny their being, we will celebrate their unique selves and they will know through our words and actions that they are loved and indeed that they are wonderfully made. We are in the process of renewing our board’s strategic priorities that will act as a roadmap for us for the next five years. During our extensive consultation period this spring, we heard time and time again about the importance of equity.
“Please know, that ensuring equity will be one of our strategic priorities moving forward and that we will distinctly name the 2SLGBTQ+ community in our Catholic board Improvement Plan for Student Achievement and Well-being and outline action items to support these students.”
Petition
Following the voting result, reaction poured in, including an online petition which as of 5 p.m. Thursday had garnered 2,160 signatures, up from 1,500 at noontime, requesting Pride flags be flown at the board’s schools.
“It is important that all students are made to feel welcome and equal in our learning environments,” said Jewel McDonald who launched the petition. “Especially with other major school boards now proudly displaying the Pride flag, I fear that our students will feel blatantly discriminated against by this decision.”
“PVNC needs to catch up. They need to realize this is important and this is where it’s going. In these times, not show that support is actually a bigger decision than showing it.”
anya gwynne, education coordinator for PARN and facilitator of the Youth Rainbow Program, tells Global News not flying the Pride flag is not sending the right message to students and staff.
“They’re intentionally and actively saying we won’t even do this performative thing. This performative thing of flying this symbol to recognize we have 2SLGBTQ+ students in our schools and that all our students are worthy of positive and validating education.”
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