Saint John students protest review of N.B. policy that affirms LGBTQ rights in schools
The province said it's reviewing Policy 713 because of complaints received from parents, teachers
Saint John High School student Kaylee Johnson said she only expected 50 kids to show up for the walk-out Monday morning in support of Policy 713.
But to her surprise, around 350 people crowded King's Square to show their support, many of them from Saint John, St. Malachy's and Harbour View high schools.
"Turning … the corner, everyone just got really excited," said Johnson. "It was nice to see the big turnout."
Johnson is one of the students who started planning the event last Wednesday, only two days after the provincial government confirmed a review of Policy 713 because of hundreds of complaints and questions they say they received from parents and teachers.
The policy, which was introduced in 2020, lays out minimum requirements for school districts to create a safe, welcoming learning environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and two-spirited students.
The event followed a demonstration in Fredericton on Saturday that brought out an even bigger crowd in favour of keeping Policy 713 as it stands.
Johnson said after seeing what happened in Fredericton, the organizers decided they needed to do something in Saint John, too, with a particular emphasis on amplifying student voices.
Policy 713 says students have the right to self-identify and express themselves without fear of consequences, and teachers must create a school culture where the students "see themselves and their lives positively reflected."
Sade London, a Grade 10 student at Saint John High School, attended the protest with a personal reason for being there — two years ago they came out as non-binary. Recently, they changed their birth name because the femininity and memories associated with it didn't make them comfortable.
For London, one of the reasons Policy 713 is important is because it ensures their name and pronouns will be used in a school setting.
"That's really important to me to feel safe and seen as Sade."
London said they also have many trans and gender-queer friends. They said the policy ensures students can use the bathroom that best aligns with their gender and can transfer schools on the basis of homophobia or transphobia.
Alexander Perkins, a Grade 11 student at Harbour View, said homophobia is much more common in schools than some might think.
Before Policy 713 came along, he said he was once chased down the halls and called slurs.
"We think of school as this safe place for children, and with 713 in place, finally those things can taper down and happen less," said Perkins.
"And when they do happen, we can take them to the proper authorities and powers at school and make sure that they don't happen anymore."
Also Monday, the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission put out a statement concerning Policy 713.
It said the policy provisions align with fundamental rights in the UN's Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the New Brunswick Human Rights Act.
"It is in times such as these that we should be able to rely on our government to uphold the culture of respect, equality, and dignity of all persons," the release said.
"These rights are here to stay. The government has a moral, legal, and constitutional obligation to protect and promote these human rights."
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With files from Mia Urquhart
