Updated Dec 1, 2011
The Edmonton Public School board unanimous passed the “Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Policy”. The Edmonton Journal quotes Board chairman
Dave Colburn as saying “We’re having a conversation now in Alberta that is overdue ... and we know that over years it’s going to shift the culture, so
this is really very exciting,” http://news.epsb.ca/2011/11/board-approves-sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity-policy/
July 11, 2011
Edmonton Public Schools http://www.epsb.ca/policy/aaadraft_ifa.bp.shtml has proposed a policy that would force all families under the authority of their school board to affirm the lifestyle choices of those "who identify or are perceived as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirit, queer or questioning their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression." This enforced affirmation is an affront to the rights of parents to choose the values and ideologies to teach their children. At issue here is not sexual orientation choices, but the mandating of the affirmation of someone else's choices to parents. This case is currently in the process of 'review of stakeholder input' by the Edmonton Public School Board, department of Educational Programs by Tanni Parker.
This policy directly affects parents choosing blended programming under the Edmonton Public School Board, and the potential for this type of ruling to be forced upon or adopted by other school boards throughout the province is significant. Historically, once policies are approved in one jurisdiction, it is much easier for them to be promoted and encouraged in others.