No flip-flop on gay clubs in schools

‘Nothing has changed,’ says Wildrose leader

Alberta Opposition Wildrose Leader Brian Jean is refuting reports he is flip-flopping on the issue of clubs for gay and straight students in schools. In an interview Wednesday, Jean said a communications mix-up is to blame. He said he still believes that students — and not school officials — should get the final say on when and if parents are told about the child joining a gay-straight alliance.

“I haven’t changed my mind. Nothing has changed,” said Jean.

“Under no circumstance should a child be compelled to discuss sexual identity with anyone before they are ready. It’s not healthy.”

Jean’s latest comments reiterated what he said Monday. However, a Calgary Sun column by Rick Bell published online Tuesday night said Jean had changed his mind.

It cited a written statement from Jean stating parents could be told if their child was in a gay-straight alliance, “where the local school or school board determined it was in the best interest of the student and the student was involved in the process.”

Jean said his text message was open to misinterpretation and it should have made clear that the student still has to be the one to initiate the process.

“I thought I was clear with Rick, but maybe I wasn’t,” said Jean.

“It was nothing more than people being in a rush and totally a good faith error (on our part.) (It was) not intentional at all.”

But Bell said he relied on more than the statement.

“The content of the column was discussed with Wildrose staff prior to publication,” he said in an interview.

The issue of gay-straight alliances has been making headlines over the past two weeks, as critics say the issue speaks to a broader intolerance toward minorities by Alberta’s conservative parties.

The alliances, known as GSAs, are social clubs designed to be safe spaces for children who are struggling with their sexuality. The clubs welcome both gay students along with straight students who want to support their peers.

The former Progressive Conservative government, facing criticism it was trying to marginalize gay students, passed legislation in 2015 mandating that all schools create GSAs for students if students asked for them.

Last week, newly elected Progressive Conservative Leader Jason Kenney said he believes that parents should be told if their child, gay or straight, joins a GSA unless the school believed doing so would cause harm to the child.

LGBTQ advocates and Premier Rachel Notley’s government condemned Kenney’s statement. They say that would expose a child to ostracism or harm by outing him or her to their parents before they are ready.

They said it would also put a chill on students joining GSAs.

The issue has bedevilled the PCs and the Wildrose in the days following.

Kenney has not spoken publicly about the issue since. He has issued a statement saying he does not wish to out gay kids but stood by his belief to have parents told in some circumstances.

Kenney does not have a seat in the legislature. Ric McIver, the leader of the PCs in the house, refused repeatedly to say Monday whether he believes parents should be told.