A local school board trustee is disappointed over a defeated motion that would have openly discussed LGBQT policy during a provincial meeting.
The motion to add Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer, and Transgender (LGBQT) policy discussion to the agenda as an emergent issue was defeated by four per cent at the Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) general meeting.
The Canadian Rockies Public Schools (CRPS) board voted to support the discussion’s addition to the agenda on Monday (Nov. 16) in Edmonton among other provincial boards.
The vote needed two-thirds, or 66 per cent of the vote, to pass, but was just shy at 62 per cent.
Carol Picard, CRPS board chair, was disappointed the vote was lost after Edmonton school board chair Michael Janz brought forward the motion.
“(Janz) brought this forward as an emergent motion … his justification for the emergent piece was he indicated some of the boards were perhaps struggling with this and it would be up to ASBA. He wanted ASBA to show leadership and help lead the way,” Picard said.
“They didn’t want to have the discussion was the hard piece for me to understand.”
Although no discussion was held, all provincial school divisions will have to submit policies early in the new year that support LGBQT in schools.
Earlier this month, Education Minister David Eggen gave the order for divisions to submit policies/procedures by March 31, 2016.
CRPS is already at the forefront of this as it is the second school division in Alberta to pass a procedure on LGBTQ acceptance and in-school clubs in 2013.
Picard says some slight amendments to the procedure already in place will be sent to Eggen’s department after the next board meeting on Nov. 25 in Exshaw.
“We’re pretty confident it meets the goals of LGBQT,” said Picard.
Currently, Canmore Collegiate High School has a student run Gay Straight Alliance and the Banff high school is in the process of getting one up and running.
