By Dori Modney (@Dori_Modney on Twitter)

Public School Sexual Orientation Draft Policy Meeting Draws Overflow Crowd

Mar 23, 2016 | 10:20 PM

LETHBRIDGE:    It was into the Lion’s Den at Wilson Middle School Wednesday night, as more than 1000 parents, students and concerned residents showed up for a public meeting. Not only was it standing-room-only but, an ‘edgy’ crowd overflowed into the school’s classrooms from the gymnasium.

The meeting was called by the School District, in response to a petition presented to the Board on February 23rd, calling for a public meeting to consider the Draft Policy on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression.  

A committee of six members, four public members to be elected at the meeting, and two Board-appointed members, would draft recommendations for the Board to consider regarding Draft Policy 502.2, also known as, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression.

The Draft Policy had already been made available to the public on the School Board’s website.

Between 6:15-6:45 p.m., an eligible voter registration was held but, there is some question as to who was deemed an eligible voter – whether it was public school tax payers or anyone who was a resident of Lethbridge.

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The registration was followed by an open mike session, as those assembled were allowed to offer their comments. A number of students who identified as LGBTQ related their experiences and frustration over bullied and hated. Speakers on both sides of the issue offered input, interspersed with booing and applause. The vote to create an advisory committee was 534 to 424 in favour.

One father who LethbridgeNewsNow spoke to, sympathized with the LGBTQ community and stated ‘off mic’, “I don’t hate the LGBTQ community and I don’t want to see them bullied or ostracized but, I am very concerned about the issue of bathroom use.  I want to know that when my daughter is using a school washroom, boys are not going to be able to walk in”.

Several other parents voiced similar concerns and felt not enough thought had been put into the policy.

Eight members of the public allowed their names to stand for the draft policy committee. Four represented the LGBTQ community and the other four represented concerned parents.  By 9:45-pm, the ballots from the vote were still being counted. However, the four individuals elected to sit on the committee are Richard Low, Genevieve Steed, Laura Scarpelli and Bill Zwartbol.

The committee members will now commence work to draft new recommendations on a Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression draft policy for the School Board to consider, as stipulated by the Provincial Government School Article (269),