Ontario Catholic schools oppose requirement for gay-straight alliances

May 28, 2012

Catholic schools in Ontario are opposing legislation that would require schools to allow students to form “gay-straight alliances.”

Education minister Laurel Broten has put forward a proposal that would allow the formation of clubs to oppose “homophobia” and intolerance. The minister’s proposal does not give school administrators authority over the names of the clubs.

The Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association held a May 28 press conference to voice opposition to the proposal. Marino Gazzola, the group’s president, said that “we expect our boards will obey” if the legislation is enacted, but said that the group would “review and reassess our options.”

Gazzola told an interviewer that the Catholic school group supports the formation of clubs that oppose intolerance, but objected to the explicit identification of “gay” groups, saying that any clubs formed in the Catholic schools “would focus on Catholic values.”

 

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Further information:

• Catholic schools looking to fight ‘gay-straight alliances’ requirement under new anti-bullying bill (Toronto Star)
• Catholic trustees vow fight over student club name 'gay-straight alliances' (Montreal Gazette)
• Ontario Catholic schools struggle to get their point across on gay-straight alliances during press call (National Post)