A new policy on gender discrimination could be coming to School District 58 after the Nicola Valley and Princeton Teachers’ Union requested the school board implement one.
NVPTU president Peter Vogt, along with representatives from the community and about a dozen high school students, attended the regular school board meeting in Merritt on March 11 to present on the idea of developing a new gender discrimination policy that’s separate from the district’s current discrimination policy.
Vogt said the union believes the school district’s anti-bullying programs and discrimination policies are good and a separate LGBTQ — which stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning — policy would support what’s already in place.
“The issues of sexual orientation and gender identity cut across ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds. We think it’s important to recognize, at a board policy level, ways to encourage positive education, positive discussion and positive treatment of staff and students,” Vogt said.
Vogt said such a policy encourages students to respect one another and co-operate in the school setting.
He said acknowledging LGBTQ issues lowers bullying rates and helps students develop positive attitudes about themselves.
“Although I’m bringing this issue forward by the union, it’s pretty obvious that it’s not just the union who’s concerned about this particular policy,” Vogt said, indicating the half-dozen community members who attended the meeting to show their support.
Collettville teacher Andre Cote told trustees that students who don’t conform to rigid gender roles are frequently targets of homophobia and can face “profound social consequences.”
“I think if we come up with a policy, we’ll send a clear and positive message for students and everybody in our school system that the school is a place they can be safe,” he said.
Over half the school boards in the province have implemented LGBTQ policies.
SD58 board of trustees chair Gordon Comeau said the district will likely revisit the idea during the annual policy review stage, which the board does over the summer.
Comeau said the policy process is public, and all stakeholders including students, teachers, parents, and community members will have the opportunity to provide input on the policy as it’s being developed.
