We submit that the issues surrounding the Best Practices outlined in Education Minister David Eggen’s Guidelines for Alberta school children have not always been clearly detailed.
In the first instance, Bill 10, the underlying legislation, was based on unverified assertions that bullying, with regard to students’ gender, had become a crisis in Alberta’s schools.
The fact is that bullying based on students’ physical appearance is far more prevalent and even that has not been deemed a crisis. The crisis in regard to transgendered students is a created crisis.
Bill 10, when approved, was in violation of the Education Act, Section 32, in that the act guarantees parents an “equal partnership” in the education of their children. This is not part of the best practices outlined in the minister’s guidelines.
According to the best practices outlined in the minister’s proposed protocol, children can determine their gender and even their name without the parents’ permission, affirmation or even knowledge.
The Guidelines for Best Practices states that “individuals have a right to be addressed by their chosen name.”
In practice, in the real world, try giving a “chosen name” to a police officer or RCMP officer. We submit that one would not fare that well.
Misleading or lying to the police or lying to the court can result in very serious criminal charges that carry significant penalties. Is the minister counseling innocent school children to lawlessness?
In the matter of bathroom use, the minister’s guidelines allows the male child who alleges his gender to be female to use the girls’ bathroom even though there may be a gender-neutral bathroom available.
The transgender child may also access girls’ change areas and shower areas.
Should one of the little girls become distressed, intimidated or frightened by this, or if her parents are offended by the proposed protocol of the prospect or presence of this male/female child accessing the girls’ change areas, shower area, etc., the little girl has to leave the area.
The same protocol goes for overnight trips, when the male child identifying as a female would be able to sleep in the girls’ section. Should the little girl or her parents object, it is the little girl who must forgo the trip.
A female student’s right not to be frightened, to feel safe is violated. Her rights are violated. “Parents are not to be informed or consulted on matters related to the implementation of Bill 10.” So the little girl’s parents would not know until the child spilled the beans and her parents would have no right to speak to school staff.
Finally, the guidelines regarding “providing safe access to washrooms and change-room facilities” are not acceptable or practiced societal norms for the adult population of Alberta. So what authority does Minister Eggen have to alter societal standards that are inconsistent with those of the parents of children attending Alberta schools or school functions?
Calgary lawyer John Carpay has stated that these guidelines run the risk of not only not providing a safe and caring environment for students, but in fact could create an environment that would promote bullying, as well as physical and sexual harassment.
We submit that Minister Eggen is introducing a protocol that is not fair, that is not just, nor does it honour the rights of all Alberta school children.
We find Minister Eggen’s proposed protocol for Alberta’s school children to be objectionable, immoral and unacceptable to most Albertans.
Ruth Maria Adria, RN ret., Edmonton
