Rights, religion collide in Steinbach

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This article was published 20/06/2016 (3407 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A human rights complaint has been made against the Hanover School Division and its trustees for a policy that forbids teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity in elementary and middle years classrooms.

The Public Interest Law Centre filed the complaint with the Manitoba Human Rights Commission on Friday on behalf of Michelle McHale and Karen Phillips, a couple who now lives in Winnipeg.

A statement from the law centre says the complaint follows several attempts by McHale to persuade the Hanover School Division, which governs Steinbach and area schools, to allow its teachers to interact with students in a way that respects the diversity of students and families.

McHale, herself the parent of two children, one who was bullied in a Hanover division school after it became known they were living in a household with two mothers, said she and Phillips decided to go to the rights commission to force the division to change its policies.

“We were hoping to work with them,” McHale told the Free Press on Monday.

“But it became apparent very quickly they weren’t open to conversation… we want all kids to feel safe and included there.”

McHale said she didn’t know what to expect when she first met with the division but “I didn’t think I expected such bold resistance.

“I expected a little more conversation. I presented the trustees with lots of research — they ignored it.”

McHale said while she brought up her child’s bullying as an example, that individual case has never been what she has been asking the trustees to address.

“I told them that was how I encountered the information they had a policy in place not to have discussions in the classroom,” she said.

Hanover School Division board chairman Ron Falk, in a statement issued Monday, said the division hasn’t received a copy of the human rights complaint.

“Until we have had opportunity to review contents of the complaint, no further statement will be issued,” Falk said.

While there is now a human rights complaint, McHale still hopes that at the school division’s final public meeting, scheduled for June 29, the trustees will announce policy changes will be made in time for the start of classes in September.

“Hopefully they say these are the things that will change,” she said.

The school board meets today in a closed session, while the next public meeting is scheduled for June 29.

Earlier this month, the board rejected a request from an openly gay Grade 12 student in the school division to let teachers discuss sexual-identity issues in their classrooms.

The school division represents 18 schools in nine communities with about 7,800 students and 1,100 staff.

Last week, Education Minister Ian Wishart offered to help the Hanover division address sexual-identity issues in the classroom, but he said it is up to the trustees whether to accept the assistance.

Wishart again refused to intervene Monday, despite intense questioning from NDP interim leader Flor Marcelino and education critic Wab Kinew during question period at the legislature.

“We are working very constructively with the school division. We respect their autonomy, which seems to be lacking across the floor,” Wishart said. “We want to encourage as much discussion as possible. Hopefully, we can find a resolution.”

Wishart said the rights complaint process needs to be played out.

“You can’t intervene in every case,” Wishart said. He said the government is dedicated to ensuring that every child is safe in school.

That isn’t enough, fired back Marcelino.

“LGBTTQ* rights are human rights, and human rights are not optional” and subject to local autonomy, she said. “Voluntary measures are not enough.”

Kinew said one family’s decision to file a human rights complaint has nothing to do with Wishart’s refusal to intervene for the benefit of all children.

“It is a completely separate issue as to whether the minister of education should act,” said Kinew.

Wishart later told reporters “a lot of personal biases are being heard” on all sides, but declined to be specific.

“I suspect the letter of the law is being met” in how Hanover teaches the curriculum, but Manitoba school divisions should be going beyond that to be inclusive, he said.

Wishart could not say whether other school divisions have the same attitude as Hanover, but “it’s the one receiving the highest profile.”

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.canick.martin@freepress.mb.ca