Holt says she'll change gender-identity policy for schools, stop move to dissolve DEC

Premier-designate Susan Holt says she will adopt a different gender-identity policy for schools when she takes power, potentially ending a year-long battle between the New Brunswick government and child and LGBTQ advocates.

Holt is adopting the policy recommended by Kelly Lamrock, New Brunswick's child and youth advocate, which she said takes into account the rights of both parents and students.

For informal name changes, Lamrock's version would mandate that school staff respect all students' chosen names and pronouns if they're in Grade 6 or higher.

For younger kids, name and pronoun requests would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and granted if the request was reasonable and the child had the capacity to make that choice. 

"The assumption is at Grade 6 that you should presume capacity," Lamrock said in an interview. "If a four-year- old says call me Aquaman, you don't have to call a four-year-old Aquaman."

This policy would replace the current one, which prevents school staff from using a child's chosen name and pronoun verbally unless they get parental consent, if the child is under 16.

Holt's intention to change the policy was confirmed the day after the Liberals upset Premier Blaine Higgs and his Progressive Conservatives in a provincial election.

Holt also confirmed she will not continue with a plan to dissolve a district education council that was refusing to follow the PC policy.

The Higgs government's policy was criticized by teachers, school psychologists, child development experts, unions and legal experts.

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Anglophone East District Education Council filed separate lawsuits against the province, alleging the policy is discriminatory, unconstitutional and harmful.

Advocates have said the policy gives parents the power to force teachers to disrespect and hurt children by using a name and pronoun they don't identify with, and forces kids to stay in the closet out of fear of being outed before they're ready.

In an email, Alex Ash, executive director of LGBTQ advocacy group Chroma NB, said they are "very appreciative of Holt's decision to reverse the harmful changes made to Policy 713."

Ash said ideally Holt would revert back to the 2020 version, which was developed over the course of four years and included lots of consultation.

"It is important that Susan Holt and the Liberal government make sure these youth feel secure and protected before they change the policy again, even if many of Lamrock's recommendations are sound," Ash said.