Toronto offers award for best gay-straight student clubs
January 13, 2011
Louise Brown
EDUCATION REPORTER
Head’s up Halton: Not only do Toronto public schools allow gay-straight student alliances — they encourage them with cold hard cash.
The Toronto District School Board has created a prize this year for the three best gay-straight student alliances in its schools.
The prizes come straight from the director of education, and pay a cool $1,000 to each winning club.
“This will shine the light on our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and queer students and their allies and provide resources for them to bring others along,” explained Director of Education Chris Spence Thursday.
“It’s a new part of our commitment to create inclusive schools and demonstrates our commitment to move from conversations to actions.”
The awards, posted on the board’s website, will be granted to gay-straight alliances that “have demonstrated a committed effort in helping create a school climate that is safer and more positive for students and staff of all sexual orientations and gender identities.”
The award seeks to honour groups that have increased respect for people of different sexual orientation and that have challenged gender stereotypes and homophobia. Among the activities it looks for in a winning club range from meetings, surveys, workshops for staff and peer education to school-wide awareness campaigns, brochures, posters, political activism, rallies, letter-writing and personal support.
The Ontario ministry of education has enacted new policies that require school boards to create gay-straight alliances or similar clubs where requested by a student as a way to promote a feeling of inclusion for those of all backgrounds.
The Halton Catholic District School Board made headlines this week by banning such alliances as inconsistent with Catholic doctrine, but trustees have since agreed to rethink the ban at a board meeting Jan. 19.
In contrast, the TDSB launched a sweeping Positive Space campaign last fall to fight homophobia and exclusion in its schools, which includes teacher training and the promotion of gay-straight student alliances. Already there are alliances in 31 of the board’s 104 high schools.
The Director’s Gay-Straight Alliance Awards will recognize groups in four categories: awareness and education, political activism and advocacy, overcoming obstacles and impact.
Application deadline closes April 15.