GSAs Bite the Dust Under UCP Leadership

The Education Act “also gives teachers, under exceptional circumstances, authority to tell parents if their child is a member” of a GSA. ~ Kim Trynacity @LedgeWatcher

And there you have it – the only way to suppress Gay Straight Alliances (GSAs) without legislating the suppression of GSAs. Kids won’t ask for, or join, a GSA if they could be outed to their parents.

Would anyone consider a child’s membership in a Math Club necessary to mention “under exceptional circumstances”? No. Would anyone consider a child’s membership in a “Pro-Life Club” necessary to mention under “exceptional circumstances”? Apparently not. But “under exceptional circumstances” membership in a GSA somehow becomes relevant.

Bastard. Lying, deceitful, hateful bastard. ~ @Mitchell_AB

Here’s a shock: no, it doesn’t.

You see, it was never an issue for a teacher to call up a parent and say “hey, I’m worried about Johnny or Jane”. It wasn’t an issue because teachers do this all the time. Teachers are expected to inform parents if they are concerned about a child that is in their class. That’s part of their job. You know what is not part of their job? Ratting on kids who support LGBTQ students or who may be an LGBTQ student themselves.

But you know who wanted to make sure parents were informed if their kids might support LGBTQ students or be an LGBTQ student themselves? John Carpay and his un-merry band of anti-LGBTQS+ donors and the Parents For Choice in Education coalition of anti-LGBTQ advocates. And Kenney just rewarded their support with his Education Act.

Promise made to John Carpay made. Promise to John Carpay kept. @MichelletypoQ

Jason Kenney, the man who “sure, there are things that I’ve said and done in my life that I regret” (because they didn’t turn out the way he wanted?), just amended the Education Act to uphold the right for principals to decide whether or not to allow a peer support group for students who want, or need, one. This was a sticking point under Prentice’s PC’s back in 2014 but hey, now the economy matters more than people; Berta.

Jason Kenney, the man who believes that faith-based schools deserve better protection than children, just passed into Alberta law, the right, nay, the responsibility for teachers to out students as either LGBTQ2S+ or supporters of LGBTQ2S+ students. It doesn’t matter which person they are – if they didn’t tell their parents, it’s because their parents are bigoted fuckwits.

Don’t think you’re a bigoted fuckwit? Why do you rely on your kid’s school to tell you whether or not they support LGBT2QS+ kids? Why don’t you already know whether they do?

I’ll tell you why; because you haven’t lived up to your parental responsibility of providing unconditional love to your child. If you don’t know whether your child supports LGBTQ2S+ people it’s because they don’t trust you with that information. If you don’t know that your child is part of the LGBTQ2S+ community, it’s because your child doesn’t trust you.

AND IF YOUR CHILD CAN’T TRUST YOU, YOU DON’T DESERVE TO KNOW.

But every child knows. They know if their parents can be trusted with that information. And maybe you would rather have a dead child than one who either is or supports LGBTQ2S kids.

Your kid will grow up, hopefully, and leave you in the depths of your despair wondering why you didn’t see it or why you didn’t talk to them. And they will go on to live happy, fulfilling lives being who they are without you. And you’ll never be the one they turn to – the one they should trust more than anyone else; you’ll never be part of their lives.

But it does get better for them. They will find a community in which they belong and in which they are loved, unconditionally. And you can rot from the inside with your hate and your prejudice and your bias.

Because that’s what you both deserve. And that’s what Jason Kenney just gave you.

Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean

contact: [email protected]

Twitter: @Mitchell_AB for all the commentary; @thisweekinAB for posts

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