TESA applauds St. Albert Public Schools for sexual orientation and gender identity policy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- June 28, 2013 -- EDMONTON
TRANS EQUALITY SOCIETY OF ALBERTA APPLAUDS NEW INCLUSIVE ST. ALBERT PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD POLICY ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY
The Trans Equality Society of Alberta (TESA) applauds St. Albert Public Schools for developing a a stand-alone policy (A-150, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) explicitly including people regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. The new policy builds on existing discrimination and harassment policy that "requires all St. Albert Public Schools to advance inclusive, respectful and welcoming learning environments for all students and staff"[1].
St. Albert Public Schools--formerly St. Albert Protestant Separate School District--becomes the second school board in Alberta to affirm sex and gender minority students and staff are explicitly included in policy, following Edmonton Public School Board's ground-breaking decision to implement their Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity policy (IAF.BP) 17 months earlier.
"Schools can be extremely challenging spaces for trans people," says TESA board member Leslea Herber. "Inclusive policies are making a big difference to helping people who are experiencing harassment or discrimination for their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression."
According to a 2011 study published by Egale Canada Human Rights Trust, Every Class in Every School: Final Report on the First National Climate Survey on Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia in Canadian Schools [2], reported substantial amounts of transphobic language and actions in schools. The report notes:
"No one should have to go to court to ask for the right to be treated with dignity," Herber says, noting that only a week earlier, an American court ruled in favour of a trans student having equal access to all services within her school [3]. "Hopefully, the leadership shown by these two Alberta school boards will serve as a positive example for the province as a whole."
TESA was disappointed that a motion for a similar inclusion policy at the provincial Alberta School Boards Association was rejected in autumn 2012. TESA affirms its position that developing and implementing policies explicitly inclusive of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression could help end violence and harassment in our schools and allow those involved to focus on education.
REFERENCES
[1] http://www.spschools.org/uploads/files/Admin_Policy_PDF/A-130.pdf
[2] http://archive.egale.ca/EgaleFinalReport-web.pdf
[3] http://www.transgenderlegal.org/media/uploads/doc_529.pdf
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TRANS EQUALITY SOCIETY OF ALBERTA APPLAUDS NEW INCLUSIVE ST. ALBERT PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD POLICY ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY
The Trans Equality Society of Alberta (TESA) applauds St. Albert Public Schools for developing a a stand-alone policy (A-150, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) explicitly including people regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. The new policy builds on existing discrimination and harassment policy that "requires all St. Albert Public Schools to advance inclusive, respectful and welcoming learning environments for all students and staff"[1].
St. Albert Public Schools--formerly St. Albert Protestant Separate School District--becomes the second school board in Alberta to affirm sex and gender minority students and staff are explicitly included in policy, following Edmonton Public School Board's ground-breaking decision to implement their Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity policy (IAF.BP) 17 months earlier.
"Schools can be extremely challenging spaces for trans people," says TESA board member Leslea Herber. "Inclusive policies are making a big difference to helping people who are experiencing harassment or discrimination for their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression."
According to a 2011 study published by Egale Canada Human Rights Trust, Every Class in Every School: Final Report on the First National Climate Survey on Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia in Canadian Schools [2], reported substantial amounts of transphobic language and actions in schools. The report notes:
- 23% of trans students ... reported that they had heard teachers use negative gender-related or transphobic comments daily or weekly
- 74% of trans students, 55% of sexual minority students, and 26% of non-LGBTQ students reported having been verbally harassed about their gender expression
- 68% of trans students ... reported being verbally harassed about their perceived gender or sexual orientation. Trans youth may report experiencing particularly high levels of harassment on the basis of perceived sexual orientation because often trans individuals are perceived as lesbian, gay, or bisexual when they are not
- 37% of trans students, 21% of sexual minority students, and 10% of non-LGBTQ students reported being physically harassed or assaulted because of their gender expression
"No one should have to go to court to ask for the right to be treated with dignity," Herber says, noting that only a week earlier, an American court ruled in favour of a trans student having equal access to all services within her school [3]. "Hopefully, the leadership shown by these two Alberta school boards will serve as a positive example for the province as a whole."
TESA was disappointed that a motion for a similar inclusion policy at the provincial Alberta School Boards Association was rejected in autumn 2012. TESA affirms its position that developing and implementing policies explicitly inclusive of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression could help end violence and harassment in our schools and allow those involved to focus on education.
REFERENCES
[1] http://www.spschools.org/uploads/files/Admin_Policy_PDF/A-130.pdf
[2] http://archive.egale.ca/EgaleFinalReport-web.pdf
[3] http://www.transgenderlegal.org/media/uploads/doc_529.pdf
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