The parent of a 91原创 transgender teen plans to be at a rally before the 91原创 School Board meeting and at the meeting Tuesday.
People for and against the new Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity curriculum being implemented throughout B.C. will be in front of the 91原创 School District board that evening.
Brad Dirks鈥� son attends school in 91原创. His teen is active in school, has friends, has earned awards, and volunteers. It鈥檚 been a four-year process. Dirks worked with the school when his child began transitioning.
鈥淭hey were sensitive to everybody,鈥� Dirks said.
The life-long resident of 91原创 can鈥檛 imagine a young person having to face growing up and figuring out who they are in an atmosphere of bullying and intolerance.
That鈥檚 why he will be at the board meeting to show support for LGBTQ people.
鈥淲e are all part of the same community,鈥� he said.
The group Parents United Canada and its leader Kari Simpson have been lobbying against SOGI. PUC asked to be on the school board agenda for Sept. 26.
Concerned to hear credible reports of threats to workplace of parents over policy. Call
鈥� Morgane Oger (@MorganeOgerNDP)
When local resident Stacey Wakelin saw that opponents of SOGI were going to speak at the 91原创 School District board meeting Tuesday evening, she and others advocating tolerance formed 91原创 Parents for Inclusivity and will be holding a rally before the meeting and sought to be put on the agenda.
Dirks recently found out about Wakelin鈥檚 parent group and joined.
He encouraged people to read the policy for themselves.
Dirks said it includes simple changes such as a teacher no longer walking into a classroom and saying 鈥榞ood morning, boys and girls鈥� but something gender neutral such as 鈥榞ood morning, children.鈥�
The material is age appropriate, he added. The kindergarten and Grade 1 curriculum teaches children that there are different kinds of families, and that not every child has a mother and father in the home. That could mean kids in foster care, kids raised by grandparents, or kids with homosexual parents, for instance.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 believe SOGI has anything do to with sexualizing children or indoctrinating children,鈥� he said.
Dirks said SOGI is about ensuring all students can feel safe in school.
鈥淚t鈥檚 for all students to feel comfortable and safe and secure,鈥� he commented.
There was a time when women couldn鈥檛 vote, and people of colour couldn鈥檛 use the same facilities as other races, he noted.
鈥淚 love the fact that each generation gets better,鈥� Dirks said about tolerance and inclusion.
This is the next phase of human rights. Dirks added that in the future, people will look back and wonder how people could have treated each other in the ways they do now.
Dirks said Canada has freedom of religion and people can teach their children anything they choose, but that doesn鈥檛 allow people to impose their beliefs on public policy when it involves taking away the rights of others.
A public school is supposed to teach children how to think for themselves and he doesn鈥檛 like that 91原创 is in the spotlight over issues of intolerance, he added.
Down the road, policies such as SOGI will help reduce the mental health, substance abuse and social problems for LGBTQ people, he predicted.
Letter from 91原创 parent Brad Dirks to the 91原创 School District:
I am a father of a transgender son, who currently attends high school in the 91原创 School District. He is a happy, confident, passionate young man! He鈥檚 very active at his school; he鈥檚 won student film awards; he鈥檚 involved in drama; he volunteers; and he鈥檚 an 鈥淎鈥� student. He has an active social life, has lots of friends, and is a normal teen.
He鈥檚 currently in Grade 11.
He鈥檚 grown up with all these kids, so his transition was as public, and out-in-the-open as it gets.
It鈥檚 not like he changed schools, or began transitioning when he went into high school with new kids and teachers. All the teachers, staff and students knew him before, during and after his transition.
My son鈥榮 story is a 鈥渟uccess story鈥�! If it wasn鈥檛 for the support of the school he attends, the incredible staff and students, and the 91原创 School District, his story would have been a lot different. SOGI is extremely important, because kids like my son deserve to be recognized as being 鈥渆qual鈥�, so they can focus on getting their education and just being normal kids!
Earlier this month, all the kids went back to school, many of which are part of the LGBQT community. Others have 2 dads, or 2 moms. This is not a 鈥渧alues鈥� or 鈥渕oral鈥� issue, the way that some opponents like to believe. The LGBQT community is 鈥渙ur community鈥�! They鈥檙e not separate from us! We all wake up and go to school or work, come home, watch Netflix, pay bills & taxes, and spend time with the ones we love!
SOGI helps pave the way for LGBQT students and families to succeed and thrive in school from kindergarten through graduation. It鈥檚 not about special treatment; never has been, and never will. It鈥檚 about equality and respecting people who may be different from you. The world is a beautiful place, filled with all kinds of people. Thankfully, we鈥檙e not all the same! Our differences are something worth celebrating and embracing, rather than fearing and shaming.
I believe that every student,regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity,deserves to have a safe, secure environment in our public schools, from kindergarten through graduation, so I fully support SOGI.
Thank you for listening,
Brad Dirks
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