Policy doesn’t meet expected standards: Kent

Vanier Catholic Secondary School’s sexual orientation policy will be removed from the school’s website.

Vanier Catholic Secondary School’s sexual orientation policy will be removed from the school’s website.

That decision stemmed from a meeting this morning between Education Minister Scott Kent and Bishop Gary Gordon.

Concerns about the document were raised with Kent during a meeting with a group of Vanier parents on Feb. 18.

The policy does not meet the standards outlined by the Department of Education. As such, it is being considered a religious document, Kent said in an interview this morning.

Moving forward, Gordon will work with the school council, students and parents to create an acceptable policy that will exist in conjunction with the department’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Policy.

However, as a religious document, the school’s current policy, Living with Hope, Ministering by Love, Teaching in Truth, could continue to exist unimpeded, as long as the school adopts the department’s policy as well.

“As far as a religious document goes, this document can continue to exist,” Kent told the Star.

“It’s not my business to say what people can believe, but it’s certainly my business to have a say what happens in schools, and that’s why I thought it was important this document come down from the school website.

“It’s certainly a complex issue, and clearly, more work needs to be done on this and the work needs to be led by the school community,” he said.

“That’s what I’m encouraging the school to do.”

The policy follows the Catholic Church’s stances on same-sex relationships, asserting that they are morally wrong.

It suggests same-sex attraction is a disorder and a trial to be overcome by adopting a lifelong commitment to chastity.

At the same time, it condemns any ill treatment of gay or lesbian students. (The document asserts that it’s preferable to speak of “persons with same-sex attractions.”)

The document can be viewed on Vanier’s website.

Bishop Gordon has previously said the Living with Hope document was approved by Education staff.

However, Kent noted today that the department required several outstanding edits for it to meet the measure set out by its own Sexual Identity Policy released last fall.

Katherine Mackwood, the president of the Yukon Teachers’ Association, argued today that the buck should stop with the minister of Education when religious teachings conflict with Department of Education policies.

“He or she needs to have the power to review the material being taught to see if it’s what we want in our community, in our territory, if it reflects who we are as a society here.”

The Duke Street school’s Living with Hope policy fosters “discrimination and hatred,” she said.

Mackwood also expressed concern that this issue has all Catholic Yukoners painted with the same brush.

In fact, many of the concerns about the policy have been raised by Vanier parents and students themselves.

“We value our Catholic schools and up until recently they have provided leadership in our community and direction and education for our children, and that doesn’t seem to be the case any longer,” she said. “So it needs to be looked at.”

Kent said he wants to focus on ensuring this issue is an isolated one that the community is able to move forward from.

“As a publicly funded school, I think it’s important for me to have a say in what happens in the schools” he said.

“Compromising the great work and the incredible history that we have with those schools in the territory, it’s not really a road that I want to go down,” he added, noting Vanier has produced many incredible graduates.

“The most important thing for me is that students feel safe, welcome, respected, and protected no matter what school they go to,” said Kent.

“I take this issue very seriously, and we’re moving to ensure that that environment exists not only in Vanier but in all schools throughout the territory.”

Matthew Grant, the director of cabinet communications, said in a follow-up interview that the minister is anxiously awaiting an updated policy that bridges the gap between the church’s religious beliefs and the department’s policy.

The bishop could not be reached for comment.

See letter.