Coquitlam #43 – Is gender self-identification good for my child?

School District #43 Coquitlam			Oct 20, 2018
School District #43 Coquitlam	Decision Makers	Implementation Motion*	Classroom Motion**
Area 1	Blatherwick, Jennifer		Keep teaching gender fluidity in Coquitlam Endorsed by NWDLC and PSAC
Area 1	Bucher, Francis		Keep teaching gender fluidity in Coquitlam
Area 1 Trustee	Cahoon, Carol	No learning resource vote	Keep teaching gender fluidity in Coquitlam
Area 1 Trustee	Denison, Chuck	No learning resource vote	?
Area 1 Trustee	Hobson, Barb	No learning resource vote	Keep teaching gender fluidity in Coquitlam
Area 1	O’Neill, Shari		Keep teaching gender fluidity in Coquitlam Endorsed by NWDLC and PSAC
Area 1 Trustee	Sowden, Diane	No learning resource vote	Not running
Area 1 2018 votes = ?	Wang, Hui		Remove SOGI 123 from classrooms
Area 1	Woods, Craig		Keep teaching gender fluidity in Coquitlam Endorsed by NWDLC and PSAC
Area 2	Cena, Cathy		?
Area 2	Froese, Ryan		?
Area 2	Moore, Shaunda		?
Area 2	Owens, Nancy		?
Area 2 Trustee	Park, Lisa	No learning resource vote	Keep teaching gender fluidity in Port Moody Endorsed by NWDLC
Area 2 Trustee	Watkins, Keith	No learning resource vote	Keep teaching gender fluidity in Port Moody Endorsed by NWDLC
Area 3	Howorth, Andrea		?
Area 3	Pollock, Christine		Keep teaching gender fluidity in Port Coquitlam Endorsed by CUPE and NWDLC
Area 3	Ram, Edward		?
Area 3	Richardson, Bruce		Keep teaching gender fluidity in Port Coquitlam Endorsed by CUPE and NWDLC
Area 3 Trustee	Shirra, Judy	No learning resource vote	Not running
Area 3 Trustee and Vice-Chair	Thomas, Michael	No learning resource vote	?
Area 3	Young, Melanie		?
Area 4 Trustee and Chair	Isaak, Kerri	No learning resource vote	Acclaimed
Superintendent	Patricia Gartland
MLA Coquitlam-Burke Mountain	Joan Isaacs	May 9, 2017 to October 16, 2021
MLA Coquitlam-Maillardville	Selina Robinson	May 14, 2013 to October 16, 2021
MLA Port Coquitlam	Mike Farnworth	May 17, 2005 to October 16, 2021
MLA Port Moody-Coquitlam	Rick Glumac	May 9, 2017 to October 16, 2021
Former Minister	Mike Bernier	July 30, 2015 to May 9, 2017
Minister of Education	Rob Fleming	July 18, 2017

Areas of School District #43 Coquitlam
Area	Reference	Area Served
1	Electoral Area 1 four to be elected	Coquitlam
2	Electoral Area 2 two to be elected	Port Moody
3	Electoral Area 3 two to be elected	Port Coquitlam
4	Electoral Area 4 one to be elected	Anmore / Belcarra

* Implementation Motion, from Board meeting minutes

While the Board has not yet considered any motion that references the learning resource known as SOGI 123, it does have a policy which gives a very clear description about the responsibiliety of the Superintendent to provide leadership in education.

An excerpt is shown below.

Policy 12 – Role of Superintendent

Excerpt: 2. Educational Leadership

2.1 Provide leadership in all matters relating to education in the District.

2.2 Implement directions established by the Ministry and make the Board aware of any instances where this direction is not consistent with Board direction.

2.3 Engage in professional development activities to ensure currency in education practice.

The complete 3-page policy can be seen here.

Timeline

2008 April – The Coquitlam Board revises Policy 12 Role of the Superintendent.

2016 July 25 – THE BC Human Rights Code is modified with the addition of “gender identity or expression”.

2017 July 1 – Ministry of Education policy delegates approval of Learning Resources to local Boards of Education.
Quoting from the Ministry’s policy on learning resources,
“The Ministry of Education no longer conducts evaluation processes to recommend learning resources. This responsibility now rests with boards. Board policies and procedures should include a process for ensuring the list of recommended learning resources is up to date and aligned with changes in curriculum. This would include adding and removing resources from the list.”

2018 – Since there has been no formal vote taken at the Board level with regard to SOGI 123 as a Learning Resource, it appears the SOGI 123 Learning Resource has been neither approved nor disapproved for use in the Coquitlam school district.

** Classroom Motion

THAT the Coquitlam Board of Education directs the Superintendent to continue to promote a respectful educational environment for all students, by removing the SOGI 123 learning resource from classroom instructional time.