After a Pride flag was torn down last week at a northwest London, Ont. school, students say they have taken the “disturbing” incident and turned it into a positive educational opportunity for the student body.
Last Tuesday, a video began circulating on social media that showed a student ripping down a Pride flag from the flagpole at Sir Fredrick Banting Secondary School and kicking it.
The flag has been flying lower than usual as it and the Canadian flag were at half-staff to mark the second anniversary of the London attack on the Afzaal family.
The video shows a second student picking up the flag and throwing it into the trash.
So, students in the Gay-Straight Alliance and student council decided to organize a day of solidarity called “Day of Rainbow.”
Chinmayi Manda, head of the student council, told Global News the day was more than just a show of solidarity with LGBTQ+ students and staff.
“It is also a sign to show that we will stand up against all forms of hate and homophobia at Banting,” said Manda on Wednesday.
Students at the high school say that in the immediate aftermath of the flag being torn down, there was tension and fear.
“I didn’t want to come to school the next day because I was afraid that maybe these people, they wouldn’t be punished or they would try to do something again,” said Aaron Borduas, a grade-nine student.
In the end, Borduas did attend school the next day, but he says he was still worried about students within the LGBTQ+ community feeling uneasy about showing up.
While the incident left some students shaken initially, they say it has emboldened them to stand up and turn the issue into a learning opportunity.
“The minute it happened, I saw a community come together to fight against something that was wrong and bring about support that we haven’t seen in a long time,” said Manda.
Kat Disbrowe, another grade-nine student, told Global News that support has been offered from both students and teachers, and a social worker was brought in for a meeting to help discuss the issue and support students.
“I hope this will bring more attention to why the pride flag is so important,” said Disbrowe. “It’s just not a flag. It has more meaning and history behind it.”
A Thames Valley District School Board spokesperson says the board “will not be commenting on discipline for students to protect the privacy of those involved.”
Although the TVDSB will not be commenting on the discipline handed down, director of education Mark Fisher was quick to say the board considered the actions to be a “hate crime.”
“We are conducting a thorough investigation involving the school principal, the superintendent of the school and London police services to determine exactly what happened and the number of students that were involved. And they will be dealt with very severely,” said Fisher in an interview with Global News last week, adding school officials quickly replaced the flag.
London police have confirmed that “we are aware and actively investigating the occurrence in relation to the Pride flag being taken down at Banting Secondary School,” but have provided no further details.
— With files from Global’s Jacquelyn LeBel
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