Back in March a group of us from Queer Ontario paid a visit to NDP MPP Rosario Marchese to ask him if he could get some answers out of the Liberal McGuinty government about the province-wide prohibition of 'Gay-Straight Alliance' groups at Ontario Catholic schools.' At the time, based on my research and investigative report, we knew they were prohibited, but we hadn't yet been in touch with actual Catholic students denied the right to start one.
That quickly changed after Leanne Iskander and her group from St. Joseph's Catholic school in Mississaugua took their story public by creating a Facebook group.
So on March 21, fueled by the students from Mississaugua, Marchese brought the issue up on the floor of the Queen's Park legislature.
MARCHESE: If the Premier, as he just said, and the minister are serious about inclusion, equity and the welfare of students, when will the government ensure that students be allowed to form these alliances where and when they want to?
McGuinty responded that discrimination based on race, gender, religion and sexual orientation was unacceptable at all Ontario Schools because every school must adhere to the ministry's equity policy.
McGUINTY: To repeat, we are making it perfectly clear to all our school boards, all our schools, all our principals, all our teachers and all our students that it is unacceptable in Ontario to discriminate based on race, gender, religion or sexual orientation.
But he also slipped in an 'out' for those Catholic boards prohibiting "gay-straight alliances" in their schools:
McGUINTY: We have also said that boards can find different ways to ensure that they adhere to those policies.
Sure, schools can't discriminate, but it's up to the schools to decide what that means. In other words: schools can discriminate - just be creative about it.
In the case of Ontario Catholic boards, it means repeated mentions of their unfliching commitment to anti-bullying programs while they continue to prohibit students from identifying as "gay."Cue the wind machine, crane camera shot and Queen's 'Highlander' soundtrack for McGuinty's final words:
McGUINTY: We, again, are sending the message loudly and clearly to all boards that they must adhere to our equity policy.
Hear that, Catholic boards?
Nope. They didn't.
Monday, only weeks after McGuinty's pathetic evasion, 'rainbows' joined 'GSA's on the prohibited list.
So maybe more wind machine next time, Dalton.
Now, with Queen's Park closed until the election, there won't be a next time, and these students will continue to suffer under homophobic dictates of their school boards until someone forces them to follow the ministry's policies.
This today from LifeSite News:
A Toronto bishop has come out in support of the growing crowd of Catholics who are opposing the recently passed Equity policy of the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB).
Seems Bishop Pearse Lacey gave a Easter Sunday homily warning against the evils of the province's equity policy. LifeSite followed up with him and he sent this letter:
In my opinion, parents and Catholic electors are justified in objecting to the government mandate, and we equally support the right of the parents to seek through their trustees, policy amendments protecting the faith and morals of children in our schools.
In other words: we're looking for a fight.
