A memo from the York Region District School Board (YRDSB) being shared on social media directs teachers and staff not to share gender or pronoun changes with parents.
The memo, dated Sept. 28, 2021, says the best practice is to prioritize student confidentiality and privacy.
“Parents should not be contacted without the student’s consent about any change in identifiers,” the memo said.
The memo was sent out by Cecil Roach, associate director of Education, Schools, Programs and Equitable Outcomes, and Fawzia Durrani, principal of Inclusive School and Community Services, and says educators must let students take the lead.
“When a student shares new-to-the-school names and pronouns, it is important to ask the student what name and pronouns they want us to use in the event that we need to contact a parent, caregiver, or guardian,” the memo says.
“Always take the lead from the student when it comes to affirming their gender identity.”
The memo also says that student preference is to be sought about what name they want to use with staff, being called on the PA system, in class, and with emergency contacts.
However, the policy does not line up with comments made by Ontario’s Education Minister Stephen Lecce at a news conference on Aug. 28.
“Parents must be fully involved and fully aware of what’s happening in the life of their children,” Mr. Lecce said when asked if the province would be bringing in policies similar to those in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan.
“I think we have to respect the rights of parents, recognizing that these can be life-changing decisions,” said the education minister. “I think parents want to be involved so that they can support their kids, and I think that’s a really important principle that we must uphold.”
Mr. Lecce stopped short of announcing official policy and rather said he expected school boards to be transparent with parents.
“As an overarching value system, I really do believe that parents need to be fully aware, fully engaged, and school boards need to be transparent with parents. I mean, they are the legal guardians, they love their kids, they want to be aware of what’s happening in the life of their children, in their schools,” he said.
The Epoch Times contacted YRDSB for comment but didn’t immediately hear back.
Toronto District School Board Policy
A written policy by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is similar to the position taken by YRDSB.“All students, including transgender and gender non‐conforming students have the right to be addressed by a preferred name and pronouns corresponding to their gender identity. This is true regardless of whether the student has obtained a legal name or sex designation change,” the policy says.
“All students have a right to privacy; unless specifically directed by the student, schools must keep a student’s transgender/gender non‐conforming status confidential.”
The policy also says that young students have the right to privacy and have accommodations made for them with or without their guardians’ knowledge.
Parental Rights March
Thousands of people gathered across the country on Sept. 20 to protest what is happening in schools, including the secrecy around students’ social transitions.The “1 Million March for Children” also saw counter-protestors gather, saying the rallies are an attack on the LGBT community.
One of those at the rally, John, who declined to give his last name due to his involvement on a school board, said he retired from teaching eight years ago. At the time, he said the transgender movement was just gaining ground.
“[We] were being compelled to acknowledge [the] student’s truth and ignore our objective truth as we understood it. And what I noticed immediately, is that it entirely changed the relationship between the teacher and the student,” he said.
