Vernon school board's December meeting was shut down due to anti-SOGI protest.

Image Credit: YouTube

The Vernon school district's recent decision to only allow the public access to its school board meetings over Zoom mirrors an action taken by the Abbotsford school district last fall.

A mob of an estimated 300 anti-SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) protesters forced officials in September to end an Abbotsford school board a half an hour after it started with trustees being escorted from the building by police. That led to at least one following school board meeting being closed to the public.

With the growing ant-SOGI protest movement in BC, it may be the start of a trend.

In December, Vernon school trustees and staff walked out of their meeting in the face of a tirade by an anti-SOGI protester. Its January meeting was held over Zoom.

READ MORE: Public barred from Vernon school board meetings after protest

“Not every school district has been affected,” Carolyn Broady, president of the BC School Trustees Association, told iNFOnews.ca. “They are not as extensive as the protests taking place in the Fraser Valley and the Vernon area but over half our school districts have either had protests or letters or things happening with regards to SOGI.”

She said the protests are based on misinformation.

“The rhetoric we see going on out there is really following what we’ve seen in the U.S. over a number of years and, I think, we’re just seeing a reflection of that in Canada,” Broady said. “Just a lot of anger. A lot of misunderstanding. They believe that there’s a SOGI curriculum. That does not exist.

“What we are talking about is ensuring our schools are safe and welcoming for every child, regardless of race, colour, creed, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity.”

School boards throughout the province are trying to counter that misinformation by sending explanations directly to parents about what SOGI really is, but that doesn’t seem to be working.

“It hasn’t dissipated, even after school districts have put out information to all families and talked to people about it,” Broady said. “I think it has to do with the fact that people can find what they’re looking for in today’s media landscape and there’s a lot of misinformation out there that is really hard to correct.”

READ MORE: Protests over sex, gender not new in Okanagan but tone radically different

The Vernon school district pointed out that SOGI is a BC government mandate and suggested protesters take their concerns to the province.

iNFOnews.ca asked Vernon-Monashee MLA Harwinder Sandhu for a comment but was told the Ministry of Education will speak on the issue.

"School trustees, school district officials and other school leaders have a responsibility under the BC Human Rights Code to ensure our schools are supporting the vast diversity in our school system and that schools are places where all students can thrive," Rachna Singh, Minister of Education and Child Care, said in an emailed statement to iNFOnews.ca.

“I had the opportunity to speak with the premier in the fall about my concerns around what’s happening across the province and he has committed to watch it closely and see if there is something they can do to support us,” Broady said. "The protests have made it clear that misinformation continues to spread."

Parents who have questions about "SOGI-inclusive education" should talk to their children's teachers or administrators, the email said.

“I had the opportunity to speak with Premier in the fall about my concerns around what’s happening across the province and he has committed to watch it closely and see if there is something they can do to support us,” Broady said.

But she had no suggestions on what the province might be able to do to help.

Some superintendents have tried to have a dialogue with the protesters but that has not worked, Broady said.

“We are going to do everything we can to make sure the work of boards of education continues in a safe manner,” she said. “It is a fine line between freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, that is a protected right, and ensuring staff and students and trustees are safe.”

To contact a reporter for this story, email Rob Munro or call 250-808-0143 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here.

News from © iNFOnews, 2024