Several Catholic school boards across Ontario are flying the rainbow flag to mark Pride month for the first time this year. LGBTQ students and allies say it will make students feel more welcome and safe. But there’s been pushback.
All 9 Halton Catholic high schools show support for LGBT students after board says no to Pride flag
All nine high schools in the Halton Catholic School Board District tweeted messages of acceptance, tolerance and diversity after board trustees decided on Monday against flying the Pride flag at its schools in June.
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CBC News ·
Posted: Apr 28, 2021 10:25 PM ET | Last Updated: April 29
At a special meeting on Monday, Halton Catholic District School Board trustees voted against a motion to fly the Pride flag at schools in June, amending it substantially. All of the board s high schools, however, took to Twitter to show they disagree with the decision.(Eduardo Lima/The Canadian Press)
Nic Hotchkiss didn’t feel seen as a queer student at St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Secondary School in Oakville, so when their class was invited to pick a social justice project to develop at the start of the school year, they asked if the school could fly the Pride flag.
While the principal was supportive, he said anything visible on the outside of the school would have to be approved by Halton Catholic District School Board, kicking off a fraught debate that this week culminated in a setback for Hotchkiss and other students, parents and teachers pushing for a more fulsome embrace of LGBTQ+ students and staff.
Ethics Bowl shows what is missing in political discourse March 3, 2021
“We look forward to hearing what you have to enrich the discussion,” said one student to an opponent at the second annual Ethics Bowl Feb. 27 in discussing whether or not pardoning criminals gave justice to the victims. “I’m excited to hear what team B has to say,” said another young competitor with a smile.
Such pleasantries with the opposing team is not traditional competitive etiquette, even in debate, but it is the norm at the Ontario High School Ethics Bowl, and is in fact encouraged, said Jeffrey Senese, president of the Ontario High School Ethics Bowl hosted by the University of Toronto Philosophy Department.