VANCOUVER—Catholic schools in Alberta can cope with a new bill mandating gay-straight alliances (GSAs), said the head of trustees in the province.
“We believe that we can work with the legislation,” Tony Sykora told The B.C. Catholic March 20.
Sykora, the president of the Alberta Catholic School Trustees’ Association, believes Bill 10 is flexible enough for faith-based institutions.
GSAs are clubs made of students who have consider themselves lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ), and their friends. The new legislation, which was passed March 10, mandates every public or private school open a GSA if students request it.
“We’re pleased at least members of the staff are involved in whatever support group is established,” Sykora explained, adding that the name of the club and its activities will be decided by students and staff on a local level. “I see that (flexibility) as positive for the community.”
He added parental rights will stay intact, as “it is essential to have parents involved in their student’s education.”
Alberta Premier Jim Prentice introduced Bill 10 Dec. 1. Within four days it was being so hotly contested that he withdrew it indefinitely. It resurrected with amendments in March.
Many of its promoters credit GSAs for lowering bullying and suicide rates among LGBTQ youth.
“As we well know, bullying can have terrible effects. And the proof is the highest suicide rate is among sexual minority youth,” said MLA Laurie Blakeman.
UBC released a study one year ago that supports this claim. Researcher Elizabeth Saewyc found the odds of “homophobic discrimination and suicidal thoughts” in schools with GSAs running for at least three years were half the odds in schools without them.
“When policies and supportive programs like GSAs are in place long enough to change the environment of the school, it’s better for students’ mental health, no matter what their orientation,” she said in a press release dated Jan. 20, 2014.
Since the debate began, Catholic officials have repeated that their schools are already fighting every kind of discrimination, not just bullying on the basis of sexual orientation.
“We fully support the government’s laudable goal of fostering safe environments in schools. In fact, we already have policies for this very purpose,” wrote Archbishop Richard Smith of Edmonton Dec. 12.
Bishop Frederick Henry of Calgary, who considered Bill 10 “a win-win for everyone,” still stated “the mandating of GSAs is problematic for a number of reasons … it is imperative that we address the root issue: bullying.”
Sykora explained that Catholic schools abide by the Lived Inclusion for Everyone (LIFE) Framework, a set of guidelines for setting up support groups.
He said LIFE, which was ramped up in anticipation of Bill 10, addresses discrimination for reasons of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender, body image, race, culture, language, performance in school, and social rejection.
“What is going on in Catholic schools today supersedes any legislation that is being proposed.”
B.C. won’t follow suit in mandating GSAs. Premier Christy Clark told CKNW radio that anti-bullying efforts already address discrimination against LGBTQ students.
With royal assent, Bill 10 will go into effect June 1.
