The union representing Alberta teachers says the province’s school pronoun policy puts teachers in a bind and threatens to jeopardize their students’ trust.
Jason Schilling, head of the Alberta Teachers’ Association, says members worry they’ll be reprimanded for not reporting when children talk to them about their gender identity or sexuality.
His remarks come one day after the Alberta government invoked the Charter’s notwithstanding clause to protect from court challenge a trio of laws affecting transgender youth and adults.
One law requires parental consent for children under 16 to change their name or pronoun at school and requires the province to approve teaching resources around gender identity, sexual orientation or human sexuality.
Premier Danielle Smith’s government recently used the clause to end a weeks-long teachers strike — a move the union plans to fight in court.
The province has said the legislation is about supporting the parent-child relationship and greater transparency on teaching sensitive topics.
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However, Schilling says the government’s use of the notwithstanding clause has a demoralizing effect on people.
“It makes them second-class citizens in their province. I’m not sure if government actually thinks about the emotional or the psychological impact that the use of these bills have on people,” added Schilling.
“We’re seeing in other areas and jurisdictions where these bills have come into place that trans students are withdrawing themselves from school life. They’re not participating in sports. They’re no participating in the drama club. They’re shrinking themselves. And that is a tragedy. Schools should be safe spaces for every student to go.”
With files from Global News.
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