Update: Anti-bullying policy approved in Burnaby

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BURNABY (NEWS1130) – Update: A draft policy aimed at trying to prevent gay students in Burnaby from being bullied has passed.

The vote by school trustees was unanimous.

While there was a  large group opposed to the Policy at prior meetings, this time hardly anyone from the “Concerned Parents’ Voice”  showed up at the meeting.

Trustee Ron Burton couldn’t see a downside to protecting any school youth, and reminded those who opposed it that they should be a little more tolerant of others because the board also adopted a multiculturalism police as well in 1985. “Bigotry: stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one’s own. It’s sad to say that I’ve seen a lot of that over the last little while.”
    
Numerous  revisions were asked for by the Concerned Parents’ group and some were implemented.
Among the changes, the definition of Heterosexuality was included and the Definition of Hetersexism was adjusted.

One of the few parents opposed to the policy who showed up said  “The school board, it seems like, has different ideas, so (using  the terms in the press release), it’s falling on deaf ears.”

The name of the police was also changed to “Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity.”

The purpose of the policy is now to also  include all students and employees in all aspects of school life, irrespective of their real or preceived sexual orientation.
    

Protesters angry over the Burnaby School Board‘s anti-bullying policy have delivered a petition to the Premier’s office.  They’re complaining that the initiative puts the rights of gay and lesbian students ahead of others.

They want a BC wide policy that is fair for everyone.

The group Parents Voice admits many of the 5,000 signatures collected come from outside Burnaby and they could have come from anywhere.

But the group’s Daud Ismail says this is about rights and freedoms.  “Under the Charter of Rights, the parents have the right to the children.  Here, we see the right has been overtaken by an elected board of trustees in Burnaby.”

Premier Christy Clark has said she will not interfere with the Board’s decisions.  “School boards run those kinds of programs locally and we are not planning on taking [the] school boards’ powers.  They need to make those decisions.”

West End NDP MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert fired back.  “I think the Premier, Christy Clark, is being a coward quite frankly.”

He adds Premier Clark should be making a much stronger stand against bullying by showing support for Burnaby School Board’s actions.

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