• A large crowd attended Monday night’s York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) meeting with the possible raising of the Progress Pride flag at YCDSB offices on the agenda.
  • Police and security were again present following months of contentious delegations, debate, audience interruption, and protest at YCDSB board meetings.
  • The motion to raise the flag at YCDSB offices was brought by student trustees Anthea Peta-Dragos & Jonah James.
  • They described fellow 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, other sexual identities) students as suffering “intense discrimination and are disadvantaged in their education.” They believe flying the flag signals a “safe, inclusive, and equitable” environment for all YCDSB students.
  • Catholic Bishop Ronald Fabbro of London, Ontario, recently spoke against raising the flag, saying it causes confusion in the minds of the faithful.
  • Multiple Trustees highlighted a need for the YCDSB to do more for 2SLGBTQIA+ students, however many see the flying of the Progress Pride flag as a source of division and not a comprehensive solution.
  • Aurora, King, Whitchurch-Stouffville Trustee Elizabeth Crowe addressed many common concerns surrounding the flag raising in her speech.
  • “Some have argued that the cross and Canadian flag should be enough to show we are welcoming and inclusive … perhaps in an ideal world that would be true,” Crowe said.
  • “We expect that our teachers…will follow our Catholic religious and family life curriculum that is approved by the Bishops,” Crowe continued. “But that does not mean we abrogate our responsibility for the physical health, mental health, and safety of all our students: we must be both pious, but must also be pragmatic.”
  • The motion to fly the Progress Pride flag at YCDSB offices failed to pass in a 6-4 vote against.
  • Theresa McNicol, Angela Saggese, Maria Iafrate, Michaela Barbieri, Frank Alexander, and Joseph DiMeo voted against; Elizabeth Crowe, Carol Cotton, Angela Grella, and Jennifer Wigston were in favour.