Oct

2

Ministry Audit of Abbotsford School Board Needed

Filed Under Censorship, Education, Gay Students, Homophobia, LGBT Youth 

VANCOUVER, BC (CNW) - Gay and Lesbian Educators (in fact, many educators) of B.C. have very grave concerns about the Abbotsford School Board’s recent actions to censor course content and obstruct the delivery of Social Justice 12 at W.J. Mouat Secondary School.

“Abbotsford School Trustees’ recent actions to remove some of the content of a Ministry of Education (M.O.E.) approved course demonstrates the very oppression addressed in the course, while working against the creation of safe and caring schools for all students - not just lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students. Social Justice 12, like any other Ministry of Education approved elective course, should be available to any student who chooses it, provided the school has the enrolment, resources and teacher(s) to teach it and in this case it did,” states high school teacher, Noble Kelly.

“What about the rights of the students to a quality education with content -not a ‘watered down’ substitute - that will prepare them for living and working in a world respectful of diversity? This board, also by its actions, is stating loudly and clearly that it does not have faith in the Ministry of Education’s process for the development of course curriculum in this province.”

“As a member of the curriculum writing team who worked with the Ministry of Education to design the course, I find the actions of the Abbotsford School Board shocking! After a rigorous two years of community and stakeholder consultation, researching and designing of course content by a team of educational professionals and piloting in seven school districts, one would think that the process of M.O.E. approval would be enough that it then shouldn’t also need the blessing of a school board,” states Faune Johnson. “In fact,” she continues, “to eliminate certain content of a M.O.E. approved
course based upon what appear to be the homophobic views of some trustees or parents, sets a dangerous precedence and opens all approved courses (not just electives) to the modification whims of any school board!”

If the Abbotsford School Board believes they can freely alter course content at will, our organization wonders what other courses in the district like Planning 10, Family Studies or any other Ministry approved course has been altered because its content may be in conflict with the views of some trustees or parents? Therefore, GALE-BC calls for an immediate Ministry Audit of the Abbotsford School Board (ASB) in terms of how they design, teach and deliver course content. The ASB needs to prove to the general public that they can comply with Ministry of Education standards for course delivery without indiscriminate censorship of course content. There is clearly an onus on this board to prove to the LGBTQ community, as well as the community at large, that they value all citizens and are actively educating students to create a more socially just world.

Source: GALE-BC

Related Post: BC’s New ‘Gay Friendly’ Curriculum

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