Greater Victoria #61 – Is gender self-identification good for my child?

School District #61 Greater Victoria			Oct 20, 2018
School District #61 Greater Victoria	Decision Makers	Implementation Motion*	Classroom Motion**
	Duncan, Nicole		Keep teaching gender fluidity in Greater Victoria
	Elkin, Aidan		Keep teaching gender fluidity in Greater Victoria
Trustee and Vice-chair	Ferris, Tom	No learning resource vote	Keep teaching gender fluidity in Greater Victoria
	Gornall, Vincent		Keep teaching gender fluidity in Greater Victoria Endorsed by VLC
	Hentze, Angie		Keep teaching gender fluidity in Greater Victoria
Trustee	Leonard, Elaine	No learning resource vote	Keep teaching gender fluidity in Greater Victoria
Trustee and Chair	Loring-Huhanga, Edith	No learning resource vote	Not running
Trustee	McNally, Diane	No learning resource vote	Keep teaching gender fluidity in Greater Victoria Endorsed by VLC
Trustee	Nohr, Deborah	No learning resource vote	Not running
Trustee	Orcherton, Peg	No learning resource vote	Not running
	Painter, Ryan		Keep teaching gender fluidity in Greater Victoria Endorsed by VLC
Trustee	Paynter, Rob	No learning resource vote	Keep teaching gender fluidity in Greater Victoria Endorsed by VLC
	Rajabali, Zul		Trustees have a responsibility to hear different viewpoints.
Trustee	Watters, Jordan	No learning resource vote	Keep teaching gender fluidity in Greater Victoria Endorsed by VLC
for example	Candidate Name		Remove SOGI 123 from classrooms
Trustee	Whiteaker, Ann	No learning resource vote	Keep teaching gender fluidity in Greater Victoria
Superintendent	Piet Langstraat
MLA Esquimalt-Metchosin	Mitzi Dean	May 9, 2017 to October 16, 2021
MLA Oak Bay-Gordon Head	Andrew Weaver	May 14, 2013 to October 16, 2021
MLA Victoria-Beacon Hill	Carole James	May 17, 2005 to October 16, 2021
MLA Victoria-Swan Lake	Rob Fleming	May 17, 2005 to October 16, 2021
Former Minister	Mike Bernier	July 30, 2015 to May 9, 2017
Minister of Education	Rob Fleming	July 18, 2017

* Implementation Motion, from Board meeting minutes
While the Board has not yet considered a motion that references by name the learning resource known as SOGI 123, it does have a related policy, as shown below.
Policy 4305 – Sexual dentity and Gender Expression Excerpt: 2. Learning Resources The Board is committed to providing an inclusive learning environment for transgender and gender non-conforming students where students and staff have access to educational resources that are respectful of diverse gender identities and gender expressions. The complete 5-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”. 2016 September 26 – The Greater Victoria Board of Education adopts policy 4315 Sexual Identity and Gender Expression. 2017 July 1 – Ministry of Education policy gives 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 Greater Victoria school district.

* Implementation Motion, from Board meeting minutes

While the Board has not yet considered a motion that references by name the learning resource known as SOGI 123, it does have a related policy, as shown below.

Policy 4305 – Sexual dentity and Gender Expression

Excerpt:
2. Learning Resources
The Board is committed to providing an inclusive learning environment for transgender and gender non-conforming students where students and staff have access to educational resources that are respectful of diverse gender identities and gender expressions.

The complete 5-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”.

2016 September 26 – The Greater Victoria Board of Education adopts policy 4315 Sexual Identity and Gender Expression.

2017 July 1 – Ministry of Education policy gives 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 Greater Victoria school district.

** Classroom Motion

THAT the Greater Victoria 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.