Toronto is Canada’s most populated city, also home to the largest publicly funded Catholic school board in North America, and has a motto that reflects the reality of the communities served:
“Diversity is Our Strength”
The City of Toronto will not work with companies that do not sign a Declaration of Compliance with their Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination / Anti-Harassment Policy, which was written to reflect the Ontario Human Rights Code, among other laws.
For years, both the federal and municipal governments, as well as public and private organizations all across Canada, have acknowledged the 2SLGBTQ+ community with the rainbow flag during Pride Month. The rainbow flag is an internationally recognized symbol of love and acceptance that has been widely used for more than four decades.
Students and staff at the TCDSB have repeatedly requested Pride Month acknowledgement and to raise the rainbow flag, which would increase a sense of safety and belonging. Community members have shared their own stories of being marginalized along with the harm a culture of condemnation and silence can cause. However, harmful debates ensue when this topic is raised at TCDSB meetings, often fuelled by delegates with talking points from special interest groups, as well as the trustees they helped elect.
Some decision makers have received 100+ of messages/day, after an action email campaign from special interest groups.
The loudest of these organized protests against 2SLGBTQ+ community and an inclusive curriculum come through lobbyist groups Parents As First Educators (PAFE), Campaign Life Coalition (CLC) or their website Lifesitenews.com (banned from Youtube). Members of these orgs can be dangerously obsessive, with a budget and an oppression filled agenda, they often radicalize others through propaganda and/or shocking anti-abortion campaigns.
Recently, the Halton Catholic District School Board voted down a motion to raise the flag, as some claimed doing so would be anti-Catholic. Presentations and many heartfelt pleas and were shared through 100's of submissions shared in their agenda package. The opposition statements included the same tired excuses, most just reducing our youth to nothing but sexual acts.
A petition with 15K+ supporters was presented by student Trustee Kelly, while sharing her own emotional plea, noting she identifies with the community, but sadly it all seemed to fall onto deaf ears. Since this decision to not allow the flag, the HCDSB has been under fire, and the community is reacting. Oakville city counsel approved $30K to paint various intersections with the rainbow to show support, and all nine of the board's high schools took to Twitter to also show support for their students.
Stated in Toronto Public Health's T.O. Health Check, 2019: Among grade 9 to 12 students in Toronto in 2014, Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual youth had a higher prevalence of suicidal ideation (35%) compared to heterosexual students (12%). An Ontario study found that 35% of transgendered persons reported having considered suicide in the past year, while 11% attempted suicide in the past year. Additional research has established a multitude of mental health inequities in the LGBTQ2S+ community, many of which are due to impacts of homophobia and discrimination.
Canadians and Catholics are both called on to put human dignity at the centre of all decision making. Jesus’ message takes it a step further and calls on us to put the poor, outcast, and marginalized ahead of even ourselves, showing us the importance of having an equity lens in decision making.
For these reasons and many more, including basic decency, we are now calling on the TCDSB to put these vulnerable students first and raise the rainbow flag during Pride Month at the Head Office & schools. Empower education staff with equity PD on inclusive language, and resources to create safe spaces.
The time for 2SLGBTQ+ students, staff and families to feel acknowledged, welcomed and valued is NOW!
*** UPDATE ***
A staff & 2SLGBTQ Committee recommendation for a Pride Month proclamation will be voted on this Thursday, May 6th, at the Student Achievement meeting. Watch it live here.
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Toronto residents: Please contact the Director of Education and your local trustee to tell them you support the student's request for Pride Month acknowledgement, and hope to see the rainbow flag raised.