in: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/life/Albert+trustees+prepare+debate+policy+protect+lesbian/8008011/story.html
The former superintendent and current vice-chair of St. Albert’s public school board is hoping trustees will take the first steps Wednesday in passing a stand-alone policy to protect and support gay and lesbian students and teachers in the district’s schools.
Joe Demko, a trustee and longtime teacher and principal in St. Albert, said city voters were well aware of his views supporting such a policy when they elected him to the school board. “I think the community is ready. I just don’t know whether the board will be or not,” he said Saturday.
Demko and the board’s four other trustees will debate a motion Wednesday to direct administrators to draft a sexual orientation and gender identity policy, much like the one passed by the Edmonton public school board in November 2011. The policy would protect students and staff from discrimination or bullying and would also ensure school environments are welcoming and supportive to gay, lesbian and transgendered youth.
If the motion passes and a policy is approved, St. Albert would be the second school district in Alberta, after Edmonton, to do so.
“Information keeps coming forward that points to it being really in the best interest of kids — and not just LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and queer) kids, but all kids, to have a stand-alone policy that would address those issues,” said Demko.
There have been examples elsewhere of kids being bullied for being gay when they weren’t, but other students perceived they were, he added. Students may also use hurtful words and expressions without realizing their impact. “That warrants us doing something in the schools so people, and the kids especially, understand that it’s inappropriate.”
Both of the district’s two major high schools have active gay-straight student alliances. The board recently included sexual orientation and gender identity among the protections covered in its student conduct code, and will debate including them in the board’s discrimination and harassment policy at Wednesday’s meeting, as well.
“I think this is kind of a natural next step,” Demko said. “I’m hoping that our board is ready to take those next steps forward and approve a stand-alone policy.”
He points to research done in Winnipeg that showed 14 per cent of students described themselves as not being exclusively heterosexual. Another recent study found sexual minorities who have come out publicly are mentally and physically healthier than those who have not.
At the Alberta School Boards Association meeting last fall, a motion was put forward to encourage all districts to create stand-alone policies supporting gay and lesbian students and staff. While the motion didn’t pass, the St. Albert Public School Board voted in favour of it, said Demko.
A Facebook campaign to support the creation of such a policy by attending Wednesday evening’s public board meeting has been launched by Kris Wells, a former student and teacher in St. Albert who is now associate director of the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services at the University of Alberta.
“As a student, I couldn’t be out and my experience was one of profound silence and invisibility, and sadly, that was the same experience I had as a teacher,” he said. “At that time, there were no human rights protections in the province so I couldn’t be out without risking losing my job.”
Wells ended up leaving teaching because of those experiences.
“For me, this policy matters,” he said. “It’s ultimately to protect students in our schools. That’s what it comes down to.”
Board chair Joan Trettler wouldn’t comment on the policy Saturday, saying she wanted to wait until Wednesday to debate the motion.
Trustee Gerry Martins said he supports protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity, but as part of a policy that includes protections for people based on other factors as well, such as race and disabilities.
Trustees Cheryl Dumont and Merrin Nuc couldn’t be reached for comment.
Wells said he hopes to see the trustees show leadership to students and families in St. Albert, but also to school boards across the province, by supporting a stand-alone policy.
“It doesn’t take away from anything. All it does is it helps to build a more welcoming, accepting and respectful school environment for everyone.”
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/life/Albert+trustees+prepare+debate+policy+protect+lesbian/8008011/story.html
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