The CCLA welcomes the decision of the Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) to rescind its policy banning the formation of Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) in its schools. The removal of this discriminatory policy sends a positive message to members of that school board, and to its students in particular. In its place, the Board adopted for the interim a template equity and inclusiveness policy that had been created for Catholic school boards.
Noa Mendelsohn Aviv, Director of CCLA’s Equality Program was at the meeting in Halton, and submitted in writing a question that had been on several minds: with the change in policy, would students be able to form GSAs or other LGBTQ-positive groups in their schools. The answer of the Board chair was non-committal. The CCLA will continue to monitor the issue to ensure that an unwritten ban does not replace the written ban and that students will be able to exercise their rights to equality, free speech, and freedom of association. CCLA continues to invite students from across Canada to contact us if they are having difficulties creating such groups.
