Tension continues in Windsor-Essex schools over policies around gender identity

Pride Month is often associated with celebration, happiness and inclusivity. But for some Windsor parents, it raises continued concerns about what's happening in local schools.

Earlier this month, more than half of the students at some elementary and high schools were absent as a way to protest the Pride flag being raised. Other parents are upset about the Greater Essex County District School Board's (GECDSB) gender expression policy that's been in effect for two years.

The same policy exists at many other school boards across Ontario. It allows students, at any age, to use a different name, gender or pronouns at school without the need to inform parents.

Elton Robinson started the group Parents for Parents' Rights in September after speaking at a public school board meeting against the gender expression policy. He has three daughters — aged seven, 16 and 18. He said he doesn't want a policy that keeps "secrets" from parents.

"As a parent I would feel betrayed ... We're here and we're not hateful people. We're just concerned parents that are concerned for our children," said Robinson.

Last week, New Brunswick's minister of education changed that province's policy. Now parental consent is required for students under 16 who want to use a different name or pronoun.

CBC News has asked Ontario's minister of education if he's considering similar changes, but a spokesperson has not provided a response.

Robinson is suggesting a third-party educator get involved when a child wishes to change their gender at school. He hopes that will eventually lead to including the parents or guardians in those discussions "to hopefully get that family unit back together."

As a GECDSB trustee and chair of the committee that created the gender expression policy, Sarah Cipkar said she "doesn't see any reason to re-examine it or to change anything."

"What this policy is really designed to do is to protect that student's right to privacy and autonomy, and I'm glad they can have that safe space," said Cikpar.

"If it was my daughter, I would be happy that she had a safe space where she would be able to express her gender, even if that might not include me for a period of time. I hope that it would. I hope to be her parent and her biggest supporter, but at the same time I really just think it's up to the student to make that decision."

Cipkar says she doesn't believe a lot of parents oppose the school board's gender expression policy, but rather a "very loud, vocal minority."

When a student approaches school staff about being referred to be a different name or gender, Cipkar said the policy "doesn't force anything on a student" or encourage them to do anything.

Instead, school administration tells CBC News that policy is pretty simple.