The 1 Million March 4 Children, saw thousands of people across the country take part in a protest they say aims to protect children from premature sexualization and potential harmful indoctrination.
The Lethbridge march also highlighted “SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) 123”, a school program in Alberta and British Columbia aimed at providing educators with tools for inclusivity toward the LGBTQ2 community.
Chelle Landry spoke in favour of the event, saying schools don’t provide parents an opt-out option, or transparency regarding what she calls the “adult-themed content” being taught.
“What that does is it teaches children from kindergarten, from a very small age, where they’re not developed mentally, to even understand or comprehend what is being taught to them,” said Landry. “It confuses them, they should not be receiving sexual education in elementary school.”
A large group of counter-protesters were also in attendance, with their chants often clashing with others in attendance.
Kim Siever, president of Outreach Southern Alberta Society helped organize the opposing rally.
“It’s important to us that 2SLBGTQ+ students in Lethbridge are aware they have support and that we feel that it’s important they have a learning environment where they can feel that support and affirmed, where they can thrive, and so we thought it was important to show the solidarity with them.”
In Edmonton, Jason Schilling, the president of the Alberta Teachers’ Association, spoke in favour of SOGI, explaining that, contrary to what protesters believe, parents actually do have a voice in what is being taught in the classroom.
“We have a piece of legislation that’s called the Education Act, another piece of legislation that’s called the Choice in Education Act, parents voices are embedded within those pieces of legislation,” shared Schilling. “They have that right already, but they don’t have the right to spread hatred and discrimination towards students who are attending our public schools.”
Global News reached out to both the Lethbridge School Division and Holy Spirit Catholic School Division about Wednesday’s rallies, but both declined to comment.
Despite some heckling between the groups, the Lethbridge Police Service said there were no incidents that required their intervention.
Comments