Sask. school divisions told to develop, implement change room policies

On Thursday, the provincial government unveiled its solution to the school change room question that was originally brought up during the provincial election.

The Ministry of Education announced it will require school divisions to have a policy around change room use developed, implemented and publicly available by the end of June.

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“Ultimately, we want to make sure that every student feels safe in their schools,” said Education Minister Everett Hindley about the policy.

He said the government’s goal is to ensure the privacy, dignity and comfort of all students is respected.

During the provincial election campaign, Premier Scott Moe said his re-elected government would make its first priority to require schools have a policy in place prohibiting students from using a change room not of their “biological gender”.

Everett Hindley said the goal is to ensure the privacy, dignity and comfort of all students is respected. (Lisa Schick/980 CJME)

After the election, Moe said he misspoke, calling it the first priority of his government, but that the policy would still go ahead.

Hindley said he’d spoken with divisions across the province in December, and found that most already had a policy in place and haven’t had many problems in this realm.

“What I was told is that by and large, school divisions have been able to find accommodations that make every student feel safe and accommodated,” he said.

In those conversations, Hindley also said the divisions and school boards told him they appreciated being able to make these decisions at the local level.

Shawn Davidson, president of the Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA) agreed, saying this announcement respects the autonomy of boards of education and the need for differing approaches in different parts of the province.

“What works in Regina doesn’t work in Mankota and vice versa. Things are going to look different, just right down to that school level, because the facilities are different,” said Davidson.

Shawn Davidson, president of the Saskatchewan School Boards Association said this announcement respects the autonomy of boards of education and their individual needs. (Lisa Schick/980 CJME)

He said school divisions take issues like this very seriously, and he was confident they would respect the safety of individual students in their decisions and policies.

“We know, students have to feel that safety and security if they’re going to adequately learn,” said Davidson.

Hindley said, besides the policy needing to take kids’ safety into account and upholding the privacy, dignity and comfort of all students, no other standards or requirements will be imposed on the policies.

The divisions will have to make their policies available to the public.

“We want to make sure, and I’ve been assured by the school divisions and by the SSBA that they will be responsive and reactive to questions, concerns, inquiries by individuals living within their school divisions,” said Hindley.

When asked whether there could be anything in a policy that would prompt the government to step in, Hindley said he didn’t want to jump ahead on something like that, but the government will be watching closely.

In response to the new policy, the Sask. NDP said it was surprised the government was still spending time on this issue.

“There are much more pressing issues facing the province right now. Hospitals and health centres are closing because of short staffing, the cost of essentials like gas and groceries is way too high, and we are on the verge of a trade war that could wipe out entire industries and communities in our province,” said NDP Education Critic Matt Love in a statement.