The York Catholic District School Board again became a battleground between the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and parents over discussions about raising Pride flags.
As Pride Month approaches in June, trustees heard two delegations at their April 25 meeting requesting Pride flags be raised at schools across the region. But with that came vitriol, as hecklers jeered two students speaking out about a lack of support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community and their wish to see Pride flags flown at all schools.
As conflict also occurred outside the trustee chambers, Vaughan Trustee Jennifer Wigston said the board has not progressed enough.
“Our kids deserve better. Our kids deserve to feel safe,” she said during the meeting. “We’re not protecting these kids, and this is not right … They deserve to feel safe at schools. It is our job to protect them.
“I could not continue without at least acknowledging the fact we had kids in tears being bullied by adults,” she added.
The previous two board meetings faced similar conflict after some teachers placed "safe space" stickers in classrooms, prompting some parents to express their opposition at a February meeting. The March meeting included delegations from those who support and oppose the Pride stickers, leading to tension in the gallery.
York Regional Police were called on April 25 as the conflict escalated outside the chambers. Paolo De Buono, a Catholic teacher who came to support the push for Pride flag usage but whose delegation was cancelled by the board, posted a video on social media of him being jeered by a crowd opposing him.
“The devil incarnate,” one man shouted at De Buono in the video.
De Buono contrasted his delegation with one that the board allowed from Myles Vosylius.
I was surrounded in the lobby by York Catholic parents against flying the Pride flag, & I told them:
— Paolo De Buono, 🌈 #BLM, MSc, JD, OCT (@misterdebuono) April 26, 2023
“I am not afraid.”
(And then a York Region superintendent escorted me back into the board room.) pic.twitter.com/XAguY5UkMd
Vosylius said religious teachings are the way to respond to students feeling hurt over many issues, including gender and sexual identity.
“A Pride flag, sticker, or any political or sexual ideological symbol cannot heal and bring hope into the lives of YCDSB students. It will only arouse greater confusion, pain and darkness," he said.
“York Catholic said no to my delegation,” De Buono said on social media. “But it allowed Myles’ offensive/hurtful delegation… 2SLGBTQI+ students are at risk by that board.”
A delegation of two Grade 12 students speaking out in favour of Pride flags was allowed. They spoke to an electronic petition they have gathered with more than 1,000 signatories asking the board to raise the Pride flag at all of its schools. They said the petition had to be electronic because it would not be safe to do an in-person petition.
Student Isio Emakpor said she has felt unsupported during her time in the school board.
"I have been shamed, and I have been othered,” Emakpor said. “We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking to feel safe and to be treated the same as our peers.”
The board did not formally decide on whether or not to fly Pride flags in June. But a report from director of education Domenic Scuglia said the board is having an ongoing conversation about how to best signal support for 2SLGBTIAI+ students and is taking the flag request seriously.
PFlag York Region said in a news release it is considering designating the board an unsafe space unless the board engages in meaningful action to do better.
“We remain open to assisting you in any way we can despite the systemic issues which plague your institution,” Pflag president Tristan Coolman said. “You do know better. Now act with the courage we know you are capable of."
Responding to Wigston at the meeting, board of trustees chair Frank Alexander said her point is well taken.
“We’ll do our best to make sure we create a safe environment."
