Central Okanagan #23 – Is gender self-identification good for my child?

School District #23 Central Okanagan			Oct 20, 2018
School District #23 Central Okanagan	Decision Makers	Implementation Motion*	Classroom Motion**
Area 1 Trustee	Butler, Deb	No learning resource vote	Keep teaching gender fluidity in Lake Country
Area 1	Geistlinger, Amy Website link		Let’s press the pause button on SOGI 123.
Area 2 Trustee and Chairperson	Baxter, Moyra	No learning resource vote	Keep teaching gender fluidity in Peachland
Area 2	Brims, Marjorie		?
Area 2	Steppell, Mark		?
Area 3	Bowman, Norah		Keep teaching gender fluidity in Kelowna City Endorsed by NOLC
Area 3 Trustee	Cacchioni, Rolli	No learning resource vote	Keep teaching gender fluidity in Kelowna City
Area 3	Frank, Chelsea		Keep teaching gender fluidity in Kelowna City
Area 3	Fraser, Joel		The program should be tailored slightly
Area 3 Trustee	Fraser, Julia	No learning resource vote	Keep teaching gender fluidity in Kelowna City
Area 3 2018 votes = 6,699	Giesbrecht, Terry		Remove SOGI 123 from classrooms
Area 3 Trustee	Gorman, Chris	No learning resource vote	Not running
Area 3	Kyle, Stuart		Parental concerns need to be considered
Area 3 Trustee	Mossman, Lee	No learning resource vote	Not running
Area 3	Nierfeld, Joachim		Keep teaching gender fluidity in Kelowna
Area 3	Pagliocchini, Peter		Keep teaching gender fluidity in Kelowna City Endorsed by NOLC
Area 3 Trustee 2014 votes = 7,945 2018 votes = 11,542	Tiede, Lee-Ann Website link	No learning resource vote	Remove SOGI 123 from classrooms
Area 4	Desrosiers, Chantelle		Keep teaching gender fluidity in West Kelowna
Area 4	Vernon-Jarvis, Chris		?
Superintendent	Dr. Jordan Tinney
MLA Kelowna-Lake Country	Norm Letnick	May 12, 2009 to October 16, 2021
MLA Kelowna-Mission	Steve Thomson	May 12, 2009 to October 16, 2021
MLA Kelowna West	Ben Stewart	May 12, 2009 to June 5, 2013 Feb. 14, 2018 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 #23 Central Okanagan
Area	Reference	Area Served
1	Zone I	Lake Country, plus
2	Zone II	Peachland, plus
3	City of Kelowna
4	District of West Kelowna

* 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 several related policies, three of which are mentioned below. Policy 452 complies with the BC Human Rights Code. Policy 460.1R helps with Learning Resource challenges Policy 535 gives responsibility for learning resources to professional staff
452 – Discrimination towards and by students as it pertains to sexual orientation and gender identity Excerpt: The letter and spirit of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the B.C. Human Rights Code (“the Code”) are observed, enforced, and supported in this policy so that all members of the school community may learn and work together in an atmosphere of respect and safety, free from discrimination, harassment and/or exclusion. The complete 3-page policy can be seen here. 460.1R – Appeals related to instructional resource materials and library learning commons materials Excerpt: Parents/guardians have the right, within reason, to appeal a teacher/teacher-librarian’s decision to select a resource for use by that student in the classroom or library learning commons. The complete 3-page policy can be seen here. 535 – Resources and Library Learning Commons Resources Excerpt: The Board affirms that, in order to meet the needs of students and teachers, it is the responsibility of the professional staff to select and deselect print and digital learning resources that provide varying levels of difficulty, diversity of appeal and presentation of different points of view. The Board further acknowledges that learning materials may include sensitive and controversial content. The Board expects that utmost professional judgment will be exercised in evaluating those learning materials. The complete 2-page policy can be seen here.
Timeline 2016 July 25 – THE BC Human Rights Code is modified with the addition of “gender identity or expression”. 2017 February 22 – The Central Okanagan School District Board amends policy 535 affirming that professional staff are responsible to select and deselect learning resources. 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 was no vote taken at the May 24, 2018 Central Okanagan Board of Education meeting it appears the SOGI 123 Learning Resource has been neither approved nor disapproved for use in the Central Okanagan school district.

* 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 several related policies, three of which are mentioned below.

Policy 452 complies with the BC Human Rights Code.

Policy 460.1R helps with Learning Resource challenges

Policy 535 gives responsibility for learning resources to professional staff

452 – Discrimination towards and by students as it pertains to sexual orientation and gender identity

Excerpt: The letter and spirit of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the B.C. Human Rights Code (“the Code”) are observed, enforced, and supported in this policy so that all members of the school community may learn and work together in an atmosphere of respect and safety, free from discrimination, harassment and/or exclusion.
The complete 3-page policy can be seen here.

460.1R – Appeals related to instructional resource materials and library learning commons materials

Excerpt: Parents/guardians have the right, within reason, to appeal a teacher/teacher-librarian’s decision to select a resource for use by that student in the classroom or library learning commons.
The complete 3-page policy can be seen here.

535 – Resources and Library Learning Commons Resources

Excerpt: The Board affirms that, in order to meet the needs of students and teachers, it is the responsibility of the professional staff to select and deselect print and digital learning resources that provide varying levels of difficulty, diversity of appeal and presentation of different points of view.
The Board further acknowledges that learning materials may include sensitive and controversial content. The Board expects that utmost professional judgment will be exercised in evaluating those learning materials.
The complete 2-page policy can be seen here.

Timeline

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

2017 February 22 – The Central Okanagan School District Board amends policy 535 affirming that professional staff are responsible to select and deselect learning resources.

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 was no vote taken at the May 24, 2018 Central Okanagan Board of Education meeting it appears the SOGI 123 Learning Resource has been neither approved nor disapproved for use in the Central Okanagan school district.

** Classroom Motion

THAT the Central Okanagan 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.