Stop the abuse at the boardroom table

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/10/2023 (787 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Over the past five months, many news reports and opinion pieces have been written regarding the controversies that began when Lorraine Hackenschmidt made a presentation to the Brandon School Division Board of Trustees in May, during which she argued that books discussing subjects like gender identity and sexual health do not belong in the division’s school libraries.

She linked such books with sexual grooming and pedophilia, and requested that the board create a committee to review the books in each BSD school library and remove them if the committee deemed them harmful to children.

Two weeks later, on May 23, the trustees met to consider Hackenschmidt’s request at a packed and emotionally-charged meeting held in the Vincent Massey High School gymnasium.

During the meeting, several speakers recounted the terrible treatment they, their 2SLGBTQ+ friends, siblings and/or children had endured as students in various Brandon School Division schools. They told the trustees that a decision to create a process to remove books with 2SLGBTQ+ content would further stigmatize 2SLGBTQ+ students.

After the presentations were completed, the board then passed a motion that confirmed that “Respect and safety are for everyone, in every school, however 2SLGBTTQQIA+ people (particularly transgender individuals) typically experience higher rates of harassment, discrimination, suicide, as well as poor mental and physical health outcomes. Creating school environments that respect and affirm gender diversity will empower all students and employees.”

That should have concluded the matter, but the issue of 2SLGBTTQQIA+ rights and so-called “parental rights” continues to hover over the board like an ominous dark cloud. Since the May 23 board meeting, each meeting has been filled to capacity by groups of citizens who support the rights of 2SLGBTTQQIA+ students, and equally-large groups who favour “parental rights” and book banning. The tension has been palpable at those meetings, leading to the presence of additional security.

All of that discord has found a focal point in the two school board byelections that will be held on Wednesday. In each of the Ward 1 and Ward 2 byelections, which will each fill one vacancy at the board table, there is a candidate who openly supports “parental rights” and appears to enjoy the support of Hackenschmidt and her supporters.

With that history in mind, and the byelections just two days away, we are surprised and disappointed that the agenda for tonight’s school board meeting features a number of items that will only further inflame the situation.

Under the category of “Delegations and Petitions”, the agenda states that “Mike Theriault would like to present a review of the history of Christianity in Canada and Manitoba and ask the board to include fundamental faith based education in all schools that educates our students about all the religions in our community.” Terriault spoke in favor of book banning at the May 23 meeting, and also delivered remarks on behalf of absent candidate Kara Morrice, who supports “parental rights,” at last week’s candidates’ debate.

The agenda also indicates that “Lorraine Hackenschmidt would like to address the board about the subject of LGBTQ history, as there was a request put before the board to teach this subject in schools.” In other words, she intends to repeat the bigoted allegations that began this shameful process and subjected our city to embarrassing national media attention.

Finally, former school division superintendant Donna Michaels “would like to address the board of Trustees regarding the important perspectives on the work being done by the St. Augustine’s School Committee on behalf of the students and families of the school” and also “address current issues requiring clarification related to the school’s position within the existing legal agreement of November 20, 2019.”

The issue of whether St. Augustine’s School is receiving a higher level of funding than it is entitled to, and whether it is adhering to BSD policies regarding equity and inclusion — regarding 2SLGBTTQQIA+ students in particular — are serious questions to be answered following a careful investigation of the facts. That investigation has not yet been completed.

The presentations by Theriault, Hackenschmidt and Michaels have the potential to further inflame an already divisive situation and, in the case of Theriault and Hackenschmidt in particular, could yet again result in the board table being used as a platform by members of the public to broadcast intolerant, hurtful views.

This abuse of the public delegation process needs to stop. We urge board chairperson Linda Ross and her fellow trustees to implement measures to prevent this abuse from continuing. Whether that means the screening of presentations, limits on how many presentations a citizen can make each year, or simply the power to end presentations when they cross the line, appropriate steps need to be taken.

Otherwise, meetings like tonight’s could soon become the norm.