Halton Catholic school board revives debate on LGBTQ issues with motion on Pride flag

The Halton Catholic school community is about to revive a contentious debate about whether to fly the Pride flag outside its schools, less than a year after board trustees decided against doing so. 

Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) trustees will consider a motion that would direct staff to raise the flag every year in June to mark Pride month, in a show of support for the LGBTQ community.

Last year, the board declined to vote in favour of a similar motion, instead amending it substantially. This year's motion is set to be debated at a virtual board meeting Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Burlington trustee Brenda Agnew, who brought forward both motions, said this time she hopes her colleagues who had misgivings will change their minds.

"I believe that everyone belongs in our Catholic schools, and I think an outward symbol of that is extremely important," said Agnew.

The Pride flag debate pits community members who want LGBTQ students to feel included and welcome at school against social conservative parents and others who believe non-heteronormative sexual orientations are inconsistent with traditional Roman Catholic values.

Catholic teachings say members of the LGBTQ community must be treated with dignity and respect, but the Vatican says sexual relations between people of the same sex are a sin. 

Last year, Catholic school boards in Toronto, Durham, Niagara, Waterloo and other Ontario regions broke with tradition and raised the Pride flag at their schools for the first time. Some schools chose to do so for the entire month of June, while others did so just for the first week.

WATCH | Halton Catholic District School Board votes against motion to fly Pride flag in June 2021:

When the issue came up at the HCDSB last April, the three-hour virtual meeting was bogged down by bickering, procedural manoeuvring and multiple attempted amendments.

Instead of choosing to raise the flag, trustees passed a motion requiring the board to provide mandatory training for senior staff on supporting LGBTQ students, to raise awareness around Pride month, and to post "safe space poster signage" at schools.

After the vote, all nine of the board's high schools tweeted messages of acceptance, tolerance and diversity. Some changed their logos to include rainbow colours.

Student trustee Katie Bowie said the board's decision made a number of LGBTQ students feel unwelcome.

 "A lot of students ... felt a new sense of exclusion from our community, and it led a lot of students to speak up in support of flying the Pride flag," said Bowie.