Regina Public Schools board voting on Pride celebrations

The Regina Public Schools board will be voting Tuesday on a motion calling on the division to “recognize and support” Pride Month celebrations, as well as to fly the Pride flag.

Pride celebrations in the division became a point of controversy in June, when parent Justine Taylor expressed concern to the board that celebrations of Pride Month and topics of gender and sexuality exclude those who “can’t participate” in them because of religious or moral beliefs.

That same month, school board trustee Aleana Young put forward a notice to the board that she would be bringing a motion in the fall. Her motion asked that “Regina Public Schools recognize and support the celebration of Pride and fly the rainbow flag at our facilities each June.”

In the lead-up to Tuesday’s board meeting, board chair Katherine Gagne said trustees have been hearing from dozens of parents on both sides of the issue.

“There has been quite a bit of activity in regards to parents writing in to trustees and I think we’ve actually heard equally from people that want to see Pride celebrated at every school and some that are saying, ‘You know what, there needs to be further consideration to this decision,’” she said.

“I don’t know that we’ve received any communication that would say ‘We don’t want to be inclusive,’ but I think there is a pushback also to say ‘Don’t just push something through. Give this careful consideration. You’ve got to get this right.’”

Some Regina Public Schools have celebrated Pride Month in the past and flown the Pride flag, and Gagne said this decision is currently up to each school administrator.

But whether this motion is carried or not, Gagne said it would be beneficial to establish consistency on how the division celebrates Pride Month.

“We can’t have one school doing one thing and one school doing another thing,” she said.