Subscribe to our Blog
One school board doesn’t fit all
BC’s Burnaby School District last night unanimously passed a new anti-homophobia policy that has run into strong opposition. I don’t know much about Burnaby’s new policy, although I’m guessing it’s on the extreme side - since the opponents of the Burnaby policy are okay with the Peace River Policy which seems pretty comprehensive. It’s not like they are right-wing Froot Loops.
But the point I wish to make has nothing to do with whether the new policy is good or bad. To me, the most important aspect is that a new and controversial policy is being imposed on every family in the board, whether they like it or not. And some don’t like it.
We have a situation where some parents, who bear the primary responsibility for their children’s upbringing, being forced to expose their children to situations they perceive as potentially damaging. You and I might not think it would be damaging, but the point is - these parents do think their children are going to be harmed. Should they have to suffer and worry like this? How much power should the government have to impose its authority on parents?
The problem could be avoided, of course, if there were a variety of schools with a variety of orientations, and parents could choose the type of school that suits their world view.