An opposition MLA is calling on the Minister of Education to intervene in the Hanover School Division.
Wab Kinew said the school division's trustees should receive LGBTQ awareness training after comments made at a school board meeting this week. The Fort Rouge MLA calls it “cause for concern.”
Michelle McHale, a parent, described a story one trustee shared at the meeting about an incident that happened years ago.
McHale said a parent approached the trustee in public and told her, “If my child was gay, I would take them to the basement and fix that."
McHale, who has been advocating for the Hanover School Division to change its policy to include LGBTQ issues in its classroom curriculum in middle school, said she’s shocked by what she heard during the meeting.
Another trustee told a packed meeting room “I'm a Christian. And I think that’s not the right life style,” referring to people who are homosexual.
Ian Wishart, the Minister of Education is refusing to jump in. Wishart said he hasn’t received an official complaint.
“To actually intrude in the business of a school division that is in due process. At this point, why would we want to intrude in that,” Wishart told reporters Thursday.
The Hanover School Board didn’t vote to change its policy during their meeting Tuesday.
The chairperson of the board of trustees was not available to comment.
On July 9, Steinbach Pride will host its first event, marching from Steinbach United Church to City Hall. The organization asked for a parade permit so they could walk through the streets, but RCMP denied their request, citing safety concerns. Instead, Steinbach Pride will march on the sidewalk.
“Our energies are best put toward making sure that event will be as successful and as safe as possible Do we wonder? Sure.”
RCMP said two other organizations were also recently denied parade permits for safety reasons.
