A Catholic school board in Ontario has voted against changing its flag policy, which bans the flying of Pride flags on school flagpoles, after community advocates asked the board to reconsider the rule.
During a Jan. 21 committee meeting, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board voted 10-1 against revising its flag policy. The current policy was last modified in June 2024, dictating that Pride flags could not fly on school flagpoles and could only be displayed inside schools during Pride Month.
The board heard from more than 15 delegates, some of whom spoke in favour and some against the amendment.
“The Catholic school board should not promote any political or cultural beliefs that are not biblical,” said Trustee Paula Dametto-Giovannozzi. “The LGBTQ+ community is not our enemy. We are not judging but we are also not promoting.”
The school board oversees 151 Catholic schools throughout Ontario’s Peel Region and Dufferin County.
The only trustee to vote in favour of the amendment was Brea Corbet from Mississauga’s wards 9 and 10. All three student trustees also voted in favour but their vote was non-binding.
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“I am concerned our policy changes have created systemic barriers,” said Corbet. “It’s become regressive and oppressive, and while there’s been a focus on the rainbow flag here, this evening, it also prevents us from raising additional flags celebrating our rich diversity of cultures and heritages.”
The board’s current flag policy determines that schools with one flagpole must fly the Canadian flag. Those with two flagpoles must fly the provincial flag, and those with three must fly a flag associated with the liturgical year. At the meeting, one trustee introduced a motion to reserve the third flagpole for a flag with the school board logo.
In regards to additional flags, including Pride flags, the policy says they can only be displayed inside schools during particular observances but must be removed afterward.
“Where such flags are displayed, their use shall be limited to the areas of the school or facility allocated to the activities associated with the corresponding observance and shall be removed when the observance period ends,” reads the policy.
Former Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Mississauga Councillor Alvin Tedjo were on the list of delegations requesting to speak to the board on flag protocol, but both withdrew their submissions before the meeting.
Of the two, only Tedjo’s delegation form, to speak on his own behalf, is listed on the meeting agenda, where he wrote that he wanted to support a policy change to approve flying the rainbow flag outside the board office and at buildings with three poles.
Delegations speaking at the meeting included representatives of the Rainbow Sauga Alliance and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association, who spoke in favour of changing the current policy.
Delegations who spoke against changing the policy included CitizenGO and Campaign Life Coalition.
The next board meeting is scheduled for Jan. 28.
