Sask. education minister supports Catholic schools' stance on 'Rainbow Tent'
Saskatchewan’s Minister of Education says it should be a parent’s right to decide if their child participates in programming related to gender and sexual diversity.
On Thursday, Minister Dustin Duncan responded to questions about a leaked email from the Catholic school superintendent directing teachers not to take their students to an LGBTQ2S+ “Rainbow Tent” at the Nutrien Children’s Festival.
“Certainly I do support the division’s decision on this, and certainly they have the autonomy to make that decision locally as all school divisions do,” said Duncan.
Duncan said it should be up to parents to decide how and when to expose their children to “sensitive” and “evolving” conversations. He would not say what in particular was sensitive about the event.
“I think we do best in the education system when we involve the role of parents to a greater and not a lesser degree,” he said.
The division faced harsh criticism when the email leaked on May 25, from in and outside the queer community. One former Catholic school student said she was disappointed in superintendent Tom Hickey, her former homeroom teacher.
“As a same-sex parent I feel gutted that this email has been sent out,” she wrote in an email to CTV News.
On Monday morning, the Catholic school division’s office was hit with an apparent act of vandalism in response to the directive. The front windows were splattered with paint and pasted with butterfly, unicorn and flower stickers.
Duncan framed the directive as an invitation to involve parents, more than an exclusion of Catholic students from a children’s event.
“I don't think anybody's saying, 'don’t take your children,' I think it's just a matter of as a part of a school trip, that it wasn't, wasn't something that was being advised.”
Duncan said his ministry works with all of the school divisions in fostering “a welcoming and safe environment for every single student.”
If parents want to take their children to the Rainbow Tent, Duncan says they’re free to do that on their own time.
“I don’t think anybody’s saying not to do that,” he said. “This is a conversation that needs to involve the parents first and foremost. And certainly, that is a view that I agree with, as Minister of Education and as a parent.”
While Duncan described the email in terms of parental involvement, the message was not intended for parents, but for elementary school principals to direct their teachers.
The message actually directs principals to advise any parents acting as chaperone at the Children's Festival of the school division's direction to avoid the Rainbow Tent.
Samantha Becotte, president of the union that represents all teachers in the province, framed the directive as a ban in an interview with CTV News.
We're disappointed to see the Greater Saskatoon Catholic School division banning participation in their attendance at the Rainbow Tent and we at the Federation have many policies and practices in place in order to support inclusion and equity in our teaching profession, but also in schools," she said.
According to Becotte, many teachers at the division are expressing support for the union position.
“We’ve received messages from some of our members (at GSCS), thanking us for taking a stand."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Air traveller complaints to Canadian Transportation Agency hit new high
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid says he has Bell's palsy
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.