As rainbow banners line Connaught Drive in preparation for the seventh annual Jasper Pride Festival, the Grande Yellowhead Public School Division (GYPSD) is busy preparing a policy to protect LGBTQ students from harassment, bullying and discrimination.
School boards have until March 31 to complete their policies, based on guidelines developed by the provincial government, before presenting them to the minister of education for final approval.
In the introduction to its guidelines, the Alberta government explained that in order for the province to have high quality education for all of its students, the education system must be equitable and inclusive.
鈥淭his means that each and every student, including those with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions, has the educational opportunities and supports needed to be successful in school, and in life.鈥�
This acknowledgement is a huge step for LGBTQ students.
Admittedly, it鈥檚 unlikely this policy will end discrimination, but at the very least it will show our students that their schools, communities, school boards and their province support them.
That is critical. Our students need to know that their communities do not condone harassment, discrimination or bullying, nor will they stand for it.
And, although this policy is just a temporary solution to a much larger societal problem, at the very least it shows LGBTQ students that they are valued in their schools regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identification or expression.
It tells them that they can be their true selves without fear. That gesture counts for a lot.
But, unfortunately its value is quickly being eroded as parents, community members and administrators debate whether a LGBTQ policy should exist at all and pick and choose which of the province鈥檚 best practices to include in their policies.
Locally, GYPSD has excluded two of the best practices, saying those issues will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, rather than being explicitly written into their policy.
That exclusion鈥攁long with the inflamed debate that has taken place in the province, suggesting LGBTQ students aren鈥檛 worthy of special protection鈥攊s counterproductive. It鈥檚 alienating the very students the policy is meant to protect.
With the deadline fast approaching to finalize a policy, we urge GYPSD to consider fully implementing all of the province鈥檚 best practices, because at the end of the day the policy is about the students, not the parents.
It鈥檚 about creating a safe, inclusive and accepting environment where our youth can succeed.
