Court expected to rule today on parent group’s complaint about school board’s rejection

Group says it’s not anti-gay, just interested in parents having a role in problems their children may be experiencing at school

The Court of Queen’s Bench is expected to rule today on whether a group of parents’ legal rights were abrogated by the SD76 school division when they were denied the right to petition for a public hearing on NDP government gender policies in public schools.

Gerry Prince is named as one of the co-complainants in the case. He is affiliated with the informal group calling itself Concerned Parents of SD76, and also a provincial organization called Include Parents.

Prince says the central issue in the case is not that his group is prejudiced against LGBTQ kids but rather that their parental rights are being denied by the board.

“The rhetoric has really revolved around if you support traditional families, as we do, you must somehow be anti-gay or intolerant; which is totally untrue. This is not anti-anybody. This is trying to make sure all kids have the help and support they need. And in most cases family is the best source of strength, help and support for a kid who is having troubles,” says Prince.

Prince adds he is sure the school board and the provincial government have good intentions in wanting to protect vulnerable kids; they are just going about it all wrong.

“If a kid is stealing, cheating or bullying at school, as a parent they are going to tell me about that. If it’s a 17 year-old kid who is struggling because they are gay, or have gender issues, schools should have a little bit of (wiggle) room there. But if you are talking about a seven year-old kid who goes to school and says I want to dress in the opposite gender today, or is obviously having some troubles, that’s a totally different issue.

“Parents should be involved in that, and should know so as to be able to help their kids.”

“I am sure there are a few exceptions,” continues Prince. “I am sure there are some parents who wouldn’t handle that well. But by far and away, the majority are good parents who are concerned about doing their best for their kid.”

While Prince is not expecting to necessarily win his case against SD76, he hopes the case will bring clarity to the issue of the parental rights of Albertans in their child’s education.

“We’ll see what the judge has to say. I think, on technical grounds, I doubt he will say they should have accepted your petition. But I think he is going to make some rulings that are really going to make it clear for everybody on how we are going to proceed from here.”