CV NEWS FEED // A Canadian Catholic school board recently voted against amending its policy to allow Pride flags to be flown outside schools during “days of observance.”
True North Wire reported that on June 11, Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board in Ontario, which oversees 151 Catholic schools, voted 6-3 against the motion to fly the Pride flag. Two trustees were absent and their votes were not counted.
The motion, introduced by Mississauga Trustee Brea Corbet, would have amended the board’s current flag policy, which states that only Canada’s national, provincial, or municipal flags, or the papal flag, can be flown outside schools.
Corbet said that she introduced the amendment to fight discrimination and bullying.
“We must reflect on whether we as a Catholic school board are doing enough to combat discrimination, homophobia, intolerance, and hate. All [people] are welcome in our Catholic schools,” Corbet said, according to True North Wire. “That does not mean only some. Jesus surrounded himself with the most marginalized in society. God loves everyone.”
Two trustees contradicted Corbet, saying that flying a Pride flag outside a Catholic school would cause confusion in regards to Catholic teaching.
“The Church teaches that marriage is a sacrament between one man and one woman and that sexual activity is reserved for this union,” said Trustee Herman Viloria, according to True North Wire.
“A pride flag, however, is often a stance or normalization of same-sex relationships and the broader acceptance of diverse sexual practices which conflict with these teachings,” Viloria continued. “By flying the pride flag a Catholic school may appear to endorse these positions, leading to confusion and potentially compromising its mission to uphold and teach Catholic values.”
According to True North Wire, trustee Paula Dametto-Giovannozzi said, “The LGBTQ+ community is not our enemy. We all fall short of God’s glory. We are not judging but we are also not promoting. We don’t want to outwardly promote because our faith doesn’t allow us to.”
“There is only one symbol that should be promoted by a Christian, and that is the cross,” she added.
According to True North Wire Trustee Bruno Iannicca, who seconded Corbet’s motion, pointed out that at one point Viloria had flown the Pride flag at a school when he was principal. Viloria defended himself, saying that he was bullied into it by members of the school board.
Campaign Life Coalition (CLC), a political action and pro-life organization, celebrated the school board’s decision, crediting parents’ lobbying efforts against their trustees with the outcome.
“The significance of this victory cannot be understated,” Josie Luetke, CLC’s Director of Education & Advocacy, stated in a news release. “This victory is an incredible testament to the power of both prayer and grassroots lobbying.”
According to the news release, “trustees had previously voted 9-2 at the committee level” to allow schools to fly the Pride flag. CLC and similar groups fought against the motion, telling parents to begin lobbying against the motion.
CLC also encouraged parents to attend the June 11 board meeting, and along with four other pro-family delegations, gave statements that CLC claims ultimately changed the minds of the trustees.
“Not only will this success protect children and others in the [school board’s district], but it will also inspire hope across the country,” Luetke stated in the news release. “The tide is turning. A descent into sexual degeneracy and the corruption of our collective values are not foregone conclusions; pro-family Canadians can prevail if we persevere.”
The post Canadian Catholic school board votes not to fly Pride flag outside schools appeared first on CatholicVote org.