The hearing for a Catholic school trustee who was ousted for posts on social media criticizing gender ideology begins May 1.
Monique LaGrange was disqualified by the Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools (RDCRS) in November 2023 for allegedly not adhering to board sanctions placed upon her. The sanctions were put in place after Ms. LaGrange was critical of gender issues on social media.
Ms. LaGrange’s lawyer, James Kitchen, said he is hopeful the court will not be distracted from the core issue and legalities of the case.
“At this point, all I can say is that I hope the judge seriously considers our arguments and applies the law and doesn’t get distracted by the emotional rhetoric around how a few people found Mrs. LaGrange’s post offensive,” he said in an email to The Epoch Times.
One of the social media posts that sparked the sanctions included an image of school children waving pride flags next to a photo of school children waving Nazi flags with swastikas. On the Aug. 27, 2023, Facebook post, Ms. LaGrange wrote “Brainwashing is brainwashing.”
The board issued sanctions against Ms. LaGrange on Sept. 26 that included sensitivity training, a ban on making public statements or speaking with the media, and a prohibition on representing the board in any official capacity.
Ms. LaGrange had been interviewed by media outlets prior to the sanctions being put in place, but the articles were published after Sept. 26, leading the board to claim she had violated the sanctions.
The Epoch Times contacted the board for comment, but did not hear back by publication time.
“Regrettably, as a result of Trustee LaGrange’s violation of the sanctions placed on her on Sept. 26, 2023, as well as her additional violations of Board Policy and the Education Act, the board made the challenging decision to disqualify Trustee LaGrange,” Murray Hollman said.
Mr. Kitchen filed for two judicial reviews of the RDCRS action, calling the decisions invalid and improper.
Before issuing the sanctions, the board decided on Sept. 5, 2023, to write to the Alberta education minister requesting Ms. LaGrange be removed as a trustee.
Mr. Kitchen said the board’s actions, including passing judgment before a hearing was held, did not conform to its own code of conduct.
“Despite the board’s bald pronouncement that it had an open mind, the factual reality is the board was prepared to, and voted to, exact the most severe sanction in the absence of either a complaint or a hearing,” he wrote.
