The Wildrose Party is proposing an amendment to Bill 202 which would allow Catholic and other religious schools to opt-out of allowing student to form gay-straight alliances.
The party announced this and three other amendments to the private members’ bill to protect LGBTQ students from bullying. The bill was tabled by Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman last week.
Under the Wildrose amendment, GSAs would be mandatory in all public schools. In faith-based schools, staff must work with students on an strategy to prevent bullying to meet their specific needs.
MLA Rob Anderson said the amendments balance the rights of parents and protection of students. He says the opt-out clause does not go against the spirit of Blakeman’s bill.
“In Catholic schools and faith-based schools, there might be a more effective way to achieve the balance with regards to what the students are seeking,” Anderson said.
“What we are saying very clearly is that it needs to be dealt with. They just can’t say no to the request and wash their hands of it.”
The Wildrose supports the inclusion of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in the Education Act but wants an exclusion for homeschoolers and faith-based schools.
Earlier Monday, the Wildrose caucus sent out a statement earlier Monday that approved a policy on human rights that was rejected by the party membership at an AGM earlier this month.
Anderson says he plans to reach out to Blakeman. He says the MLAs will have free votes on the issue.
