Parents Sue Vancouver School Board Over Transgender Policy

Here is a draft copy of the VSB policy in question: Draft Revised Policy and Regulations: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identities (ACB and ACB R-1)

A group of parents is suing the Vancouver School Board in response to the their policy which provides support for LGBTQ+ students.

The policy passed by the VSB earlier this year includes allowances for chosen names and pronouns, dress, sex-segregated sports and activities, washroom and change room accessibility and student transfers, among a wider message of anti-harassment and LGBTQ+ support.

In a petition filed with the BC Supreme Court October 31, the parents, including Xiaofeng Huang, Yuen Cheng Li and Shaohui Li, claim “The Board is not permitted to allow a single conception of morality to deny or exclude opposed points of view or refuse to acknowledge their existence … The Board failed to consider morality, as it relates to public decency, as a factor that must be weighed against any other moral factor.”

The petition includes affidavits from 200 parents and states that the policy violates parental rights and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Lawsuit Against Vancouver School Board re Gender Policy
Posted on November 9, 2014

PRESS RELEASE

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Vancouver, British Columbia

For immediate release

Lawsuit Against Vancouver School Board re Gender Policy

On October 31, 2014 a group of parents filed a lawsuit in the BC Supreme Court against the Vancouver School Board over the controversial gender policy passed in June of this year. The lawsuit is supported by the written evidence of over 175 parents.

While the policy purports to provide better protection for “trans*” students, it is being challenged on the grounds that it violates the city’s building code and other students’ constitutional right to privacy. The policy says “trans*” students shall have access to the washroom and change room that corresponds to their gender identity.” The policy defines “trans” as including “gender non-conforming” students, which includes a child who simply expresses gender in non-traditional ways. Masao Morinaga, the lawyer representing the parents, says the policy grants choice in washroom use to individuals who would not even be considered transgender or transsexual in Canadian jurisprudence. He says any policy must properly balance the various rights at stake. The policy is being challenged also with respect to its position on whether parents are entitled notice of a child’s gender-related behaviour in school.

The parents wish the school board to take their concerns seriously. Ken Denike and Sophia Woo voted against the gender policy passed in June. Of the nine school trustees, the other seven voted in its favour

For further questions, contact 604-739-0118 for Masao Morinaga of Lawrence Wong & Associates.

 

Here's a video of one of the public consultations that VSB did in regard to the trans* policies. I know that report cards and GoCards won't have gender markers anymore.



Speakers:
0:00:00 Roan Reimer, student (for)
0:03:49 Andy Holmes, student (for)
0:07:02 Jane Bouey, Public Education Project (for)
0:12:53 Kathy Xie and Sally Lin, students (for)
0:22:59 barbara findlay, QC (for)
0:30:31 Melady Preece, PhD, R. Psych. UBC (for)
0:39:26 Marria Townsend, MD, CCFP (for)
0:49:32 Cheryl Chang, Byng PAC (against)
1:05:51 Adrienne Smith, JD, Pivot Legal Society (for)
1:11:50 Carven Li (卡墓) (for)
1:21:45 Andrea Szewchuk, MD, CCFP (for)
1:35:33 Tony Wang, parent (against)
1:36:29 Cindy Holmes, PhD, SFU (for)
1:42:11 Christopher Booth, MD, FRCPC, psychiatrist (for)
1:48:35 Jasmine Meng, Parent (against)
1:49:30 Vi Levitt, former VSB-enrolled youth (for)
1:53:38 Hesther Chan, Parent (against)
2:04:29 Drew Dennis, LGBTQ Advisory Committee (for)
2:10:29 Fiona Chen, parent (for)
2:25:36 Morgane Oger, parent (for)
2:31:40 Ashley Li, Parent (against)
2:33:01 Lorraine Grieves, Vancouver Coastal Health (for)
2:40:06 Karen Chan, parent (against)
2:47:14 Patti Bacchus, VSB board chair

 

It's not ok to deny the importance or role of gender classification in society entirely in order to support Trans people. Ie making all bathrooms " gender equal" or whatever. As a female, i want the right to use washrooms meant for females. Im ok with sharing them with Trans females, even if they still have a penis.

 

I support progressive gender policies but the trans* community has a very strong advocacy group composed of physicians, psychologists, lawyers, etc. There are a lot of strong opinions in that group and they often have tunnel vision with their agendas. This is coming from someone who has attended some of their meetings.

The revised VSB policy is a good thing but I foresee that implementation will be a challenge.

A valid concern that I've been hearing is in regards to washrooms. What policies and rules are in place to prevent kids from claiming that they are trans* when they are not just so they can go into the opposite gender's washroom? I can totally see perverts trying that. Not so much at the elementary level, but for sure at high schools with trouble making teenagers.