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
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.