Schools throughout the Rocky View Schools (RVS) division will be expected to follow guidelines outlined in a new administrative procedure for ensuring all students, regardless of their sexual orientation or identification, are provided with the “education opportunities and supports needed to be successful in school.”
The RVS Board of Trustees at its April 7 meeting unanimously approved receiving Administrative Procedure 207 for information.
School Superintendent Don Hoium outlined the guidelines, which he said had already been reviewed by the provincial Ministry of Education regional office and submitted to Minister of Education David Eggen.
All school divisions in Alberta were directed by the Education Minister to draft guidelines for creating procedures to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students prior to March 31.
“I’m fully confident that this procedure will meet all of the requirements and is a nice balance and respects the rights of these students as well as all of our students,” Hoium said.
In drafting the guidelines, Hoium said RVS was directed by Alberta Education to follow existing laws, including the Alberta Human Rights Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, as well as the School Act.
Since 1998, a policy called Respectful Working and Learning Environments has been in place at RVS, having been amended in 2002 and 2014. In that policy, RVS ensures protection from harassment on grounds of “sexual orientation, including LGBTQ.”
Airdrie Trustee Sylvia Eggerer said she would support the adoption of the new guidelines despite being raised in a time where things weren’t “as open as maybe they are now. When I talk to my 15-year-old grandson about this he says, ‘oh, you’re just creating a problem where there is none.’”
The new procedure provides teachers and administrators with guidelines for talking about gender issues with students, including protecting a student’s privacy and not disclosing information about their sexual orientation to their parents without permission.
Students will be allowed to dress as the gender they identify with, and their preferred name and gender will be included in all school class lists, timetables, etc. whenever possible.
Students will also be allowed to participate in sports as the gender they identify with – under the rules already laid down by the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association, which state, “Any student, staff, coach, manager, trainer or other persons who identify as or are perceived as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirit, queer or questioning may participate fully and safely in sex-separated sport activities in accordance with their lived gender identity.”
One of the most controversial aspects of the new guidelines is the requirement that schools provide an easily accessible gender-neutral single stall washroom and change area.
Eggerer said she felt there were some misconceptions regarding what these gender-neutral facilities would look like.
Hoium did not go into detail about RVS’ plan for these facilities. Requests for more information from RVS were not returned by press time.
The guidelines also require a staff member be assigned as a support to any gay-straight alliance clubs formed at individual schools, and staff will be provided with professional development opportunities to increase their knowledge about LGBTQ and gender identity issues.
- with files from Joel Dryden
