Regina school division looks to allay fears after board’s Pride vote

The Regina Public School Division is trying to clear things up after the public school board voted down Tuesday a motion to “recognize and support” Pride celebrations and fly the rainbow flag at every school each June.

School board trustees voted 4-3 against the motion, originally brought forward by trustee Aleana Young.

In the school board’s agenda for the meeting, Young’s motion sought resolution on the matter “that Regina Public Schools recognize and support the celebration of Pride and fly the rainbow flag at our facilities each June.”

In a statement sent to staff after the meeting, the director of Regina Public Schools said the decision does not mean schools or the division will have to stop celebrating Pride and it doesn’t change the respect that will be shown to students and staff.

“It does NOT (sic) mean any change in how we respect all students and staff, and how all belong at Regina Public Schools,” said the message.

It also said that the board will now look to subcommittees and administration to create clarity and definite direction about how events are celebrated in the division and in schools.

Some of the trustees who voted against the motion reportedly believed it would have forced all schools to mark the occasion; currently, schools can decide how they celebrate Pride.

“Schools are places of belonging and inclusion, and I have yet to hear from a single student or teacher who has identified Pride/GSAs (gay-straight alliances) as something that makes them feel less safe,” Young said in her written submission to the school board.

“As trustees, we are responsible for making decisions in the best interests of our students, staff and the communities we serve.”

Young referenced a June presentation to the school board, during which “a group of concerned parents” presented to the board its concerns about Pride celebrations and raising a rainbow flag at one particular elementary school.

The parents believed “that this was an instance of the majority excluding the minority and that elementary schools should not be celebrating or recognizing Pride as it would exclude those families whose personal or religious views were in opposition to gender and sexual diversity,” Young said in her submission.

That led to further discussions at the school board, which considered changing administrative procedures.

Young decided to make the topic public, because any potential change would “result in a deviation from the current practice of allowing schools to self-identify what events best meet the needs of their students and communities.”

She said she preferred that to a discussion “behind closed doors.”

The meeting

The meeting chambers were packed with people Tuesday night, many of whom were holding signs and wearing or brandishing rainbow flags.

The trustees went around to discuss the motion, and it was ultimately voted down, prompting booing and shouts of “shame” from some in the audience and, in a few cases, tears.

“I think, given the number of emails we as your board of trustees received, and trustee Hicks spoke to that, and given the number of people who have come to our meeting this evening, it’s obvious that this is an important issue to you,” said board chair Katherine Gagne told the crowd after the decision.

“And I know many in this room will feel disappointed, but I want to sincerely thank you for taking time to write and for trusting us.”

Then Gagne was interrupted by angry members of the public.

“Look at these kids and tell them that they don’t matter,” shouted one woman, who then started shouting “Filth.”

Gagne tried to calm down the room, saying: “I am asking for respect at this time.” But that only had more people shouting and booing.

“I need you to know that we received many emails on both sides of this issue,” Gagne continued eventually. “The vote … as trustee Ekong said, was very clear that nothing changes tomorrow … Despite information that is out there, this was not a vote to rescind anything.

“And so I think that it’s absolutely incumbent upon us as adults in this room, because there was one line in one email that did keep me up at night, and I think trustee Kaspersky spoke to it, and it was about the safety of our staff and our students. And I want to say that the safety of our staff and students will be realized if we go out from this room today with that message — that we bring that safety, that we bring that security …”

That’s when Gagne was again interrupted by a man shouting, “You’re not bringing safety, you’re bringing disrespect … there’s children crying because you can’t make a decision to fly a rainbow?”

And that’s when Gagne decided to move on to the next item on the agenda.