EDMONTON – Alberta is proposing new legislation to ensure that students who join gay-straight alliances in school are not outed without their permission.
Education Minister David Eggen says it’s critical to make sure all students feel welcome and don’t face discrimination.
Gay-straight alliances are social clubs run by students to help LGBTQ students feel welcome and to lessen any chance of bullying.
Eggen’s bill makes it clear that when a student joins a gay-straight alliance, they alone have the option to notify their parents or anyone else.
Opposition United Conservative Leader Jason Kenney has said parents should be told when their child joins a gay-straight alliance unless there is concern that the disclosure would result in the child coming to harm.
Advocates of gay-straight alliances say the final decision must always rest with the child because there is no way to be sure whether or not outing a child to his or her parents won’t lead to family ostracism or physical harm.
Here is the statement from Jason Kenney, UCP Leader, on Bill 24:
We will comment on Bill 24 after our caucus has had an opportunity to review and discuss it.
It is unfortunate that the NDP is using this sensitive matter as a partisan political wedge issue.
Our approach will always be determined by what is in the best interests of children. We trust highly-trained educators to use their professional judgement to make decisions in the best interests of children, particularly given that this policy applies to children as young as five years of age.
