Chilliwack school trustee draws criticism over gender-role comments
Local educators are calling for a longtime Chilliwack school trustee to step down after he compared allowing children to determine their own gender to “child abuse.”
Barry Neufeld, who has been a school trustee for more than 20 years, took to Facebook on Monday to criticize B.C.’s LGBTQ-friendly policies and curriculum, and to call gender theory a “fad.”
“If this represents the values of Canadian society, count me out! I belong in a country like Russia, or Paraguay, which recently had the guts to stand up to these radical cultural nihilists,” he wrote.
His post — which disappeared from public view on Tuesday — was met with swift criticism from other educators, including Glen Hansman, president of the B.C. Teachers’ Federation, who called for Neufeld to step down. Hansman said he felt like Neufeld was in a “time warp” when he read the comments.
“He should step down or be removed,” Hansman told Postmedia. “It’s not OK. The public school system in this province and in Canada have the obligation to ensure safe and inclusive school environments for all kids regardless of race, nationality, or religion. They have to proactively address sexism and misogyny, they have to address transphobia and homophobia and racism.
“And Mr. Neufeld, I’m doubtful that Mr. Neufeld did not know that. I’m doubtful that he’s not aware if he’s been around as a trustee for some time.”
Neufeld’s comments were posted to his personal Facebook page. In a day, the post had been shared 210 times and garnered 130 comments.
“At the risk of being labelled a bigoted homophobe, I have to say that I support traditional family values and I agree with the college of pediatricians that allowing little children to choose to change gender is nothing short of child abuse,” he wrote. “But now the B.C. Ministry of Education has embraced the LGBTQ lobby and is forcing this biologically absurd theory on children in our schools.”
The “college” referenced by Neufeld is a conservative American advocacy group that was created to protest adoption by gay couples.
Education Minister Rob Fleming responded Tuesday to Neufeld’s comments, saying he disagreed with Neufeld’s views “profoundly.”
“So do teaching professionals, support staff and parent groups, quite frankly, right across the school system. Not only in his own district but across British Columbia,” said Fleming.
“We have been working on an anti-bullying strategy for five years, we have a human rights code that protects transgender people in British Columbia including young people in our school systems, so his views are not going to have any impact in terms of influencing the Ministry of Education and I suspect he’s finding himself rather isolated in the Chilliwack School District.”
According to media reports, the district was to hold an in-camera meeting on Tuesday night to discuss Neufeld’s Facebook post.
Fleming stopped short of calling for Neufeld’s resignation, but said he was “not a role model in the school system” and hoped that he would “one day come around” on the issue.
Gordon Swan, president of the B.C. School Trustees Association, also issued a statement Tuesday condemning the comments made by Neufeld.
“Our association strongly believes that schools need to be safe and welcoming places for all students, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, race, religion or background,” Swan wrote. “It is important that we all stand up and defend our students and our staff against any incidents of prejudice, bullying or discrimination.”
Our association strongly believes that schools need to be safe and welcoming places for all students.