Tuesday January 18, 2012
By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Tuesday January 17, 2012
Board says no to so-called ‘gay-straight alliances’
Don’t expect to find any gay-straight alliances in the city’s Catholic schools — at least, not any groups that go by that name.
“We commend any initiatives and efforts to reduce bullying,” said Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board chair Pat Daly. “But would we have clubs in our schools called ‘gay-straight alliances?’ No.”
Daly’s comments come just weeks after the province introduced new legislation that will compel school boards to take a harder line on bullying. The legislation will also require boards to support student-led activities that promote respect for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, including gay-straight alliances or similarly named groups.
Despite its opposition to the term “gay-straight alliance,” Daly said his board supports the proposed changes and is committed to reaching out to gay students through dialogue with chaplains, guidance counsellors and staff. It will also back gay students who want to assemble under the broader banner of antibullying awareness groups.
“Saying that, any club or curriculum that takes place within our schools has to be in keeping with the teachings of our faith,” Daly said. “That’s essential for us.”
The Catholic Church’s general teaching is that while being a homosexual isn’t sinful, acting on it is.
Although Bill 13 — tabled Nov. 30 and going through second reading — doesn’t speak to what the clubs are called, Minister of Education Laurel Broten insists they be “issue specific.” That means boards won’t be able to lump them into broader “equity” groups, as some Catholic schools have done. (Source: Hamilton Spectator )
L E T T E R t o t h e E D I T O R
Dear Editor,
Regarding the article “Board says no to so-called ‘gay-straight alliances'”, January 17, 2012, the editorial “Gay-straight alliance position is wrong”, January 18, and the McKay cartoon of January 18, 2012:
I highly commend Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board chair Pat Daily for his promise to keep our Catholic schools and Catholic teachings safe from anti-religious predators posing as freedom fighters.
The gay liberation movement, in particular, has started to morph into something like the Ku Klux Klan. It’s latest attack on religious freedom is evident in its ploy to use school bullying as a wedge to work pro-gay teaching into our public and Catholic schools. Clearly, there is no reason to give those with homosexual tendencies preferential treatment in regards to bullying unless of course the prime objective is to force our schools and society to accept the homosexual mentality. Here it should be noted that science has found no “gay-gene”.
Bullying can be curtailed without homosexual indoctrination. Further, it is ludicrous for homosexual activists like The Spectator editorial board, Spectator cartoonist MacKay and Diedre Pike to suggest that defending the Catholic faith means a denial of the homosexual person or his right to obtain help. Do parents think these things of their children when they exercise “tough love” on them whence they behave badly? Hardly! In fact the opposite is true. No parent who truly loves their child will allow him or her to do everything they please.
Ultimately, religious freedom precedes the state. It is the first freedom. It is the premise and guarantee of all freedoms that ensure the common good. The very idea of making the Pope subservient to Big Brother is not only irrational, it’s utterly hateful, blasphemous and ridiculous!
With respectful and cordial best wishes I remain,
Sincerely yours,
P. Kokoski
Hamilton