LGBTQ 'Rally Against Bigotry' will protest Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools directive
CBC
A 'Rally Against Bigotry' is scheduled to take place outside the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (GSCS) board building on Thursday, following a leaked email that told teachers and chaperones not to take students to the LGBTQ-friendly "Rainbow Tent" at an upcoming children's festival.
The GSCS has faced backlash from the LGBTQ community and supporters over the past week after the superintendent, Tom Hickey, sent the directive.
The Rainbow Tent at the Nutrien Children's Festival will offer programming "from Drag Queen Storytime to inclusive dress up performances filled with colour and fun," according to the festival's website.
The rally begins at 4:15 p.m. and the festival runs from Thursday to Sunday.
Notice of the GSCS protest rally was posted on the SURJ YXE, a community advocacy group, Facebook page.
"We stand firmly against any queerphopia/transphobia in our communities and call for the removal of any staff or board members in our publicly funded school systems who hold such discriminatory beliefs," the post read.
In his email, Hickey wrote to principals that "engagement and participation by our students in that particular offering would not be supported" because of the description on the festival website.
OUTSaskatoon has since come out against the GSCS's opposition to the Rainbow Tent.
Patti Rowley, who was raised Catholic and became an advocate for LGBTQ students during her career as a teacher, told CBC on Wednesday afternoon that she feels the recent directive from the GSCS moves back decades of progress. She wrote a letter to Hickey outlining her concerns about the leaked email.
"His directive is not only harmful, it's also hurtful and dangerous," Rowley said, adding she asked him to reconsider and retract it.
She hasn't received a response from the superintendent yet.
More than 20 years ago, Rowley started the first Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) at Mount Royal Collegiate in Saskatoon. GSA now stands for Genders & Sexualities Alliance.
While the GSCS put out an apology email following the leak, many, including Rowley, think that isn't enough
"They've talked the talk by issuing this apology email, but they need to walk the walk. You can't just say: 'We're sorry, we didn't intend to be judgmental or hurtful.' They need to show it in actions."
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