Toronto board now a ‘gay-straight alliance’
April 14, 2011
Kristin Rushowy
EDUCATION REPORTER
They are proud to call themselves Canada’s first gay-straight alliance of school trustees.
At Wednesday night’s board meeting, one of the few things Toronto District School Board trustees could agree on was that they wanted to set a “strong example” when it comes to being inclusive of all students.
So they unanimously voted in favour of a motion by Trustees Cathy Dandy and Howard Goodman to declare the board a gay-straight alliance.
Such groups, which 50 Toronto public high schools offer, have been in the news recently as Catholic boards across the province refuse to allow them.
“I think it was a very proud moment,” said Trustee Shelley Laskin, who wore a pink shirt and hat to the board meeting as part of the anti-bullying International Day of Pink.
“I felt it was something incredibly positive. The fact that we have gay and straight trustees in our boardroom, which is reflective of our gay and straight staff, our gay and straight students, and our gay and straight parents — it makes sense on so many levels. I thought it was brilliant.”
Board Chair Chris Bolton said in a written release that this sets a “strong example” and that the board is “proud to demonstrate our support for learning environments where every individual feels equally safe and welcome.”
Day of Pink began in Nova Scotia in 2007 after a male student was harassed for wearing a pink shirt. Two Grade 12 students encouraged others to show their support for the bullied student by wearing pink shirts to school and hundreds took part.
Public schools across Greater Toronto organized a number of activities — including asking kids to wear pink clothing to school — to mark the day.