The Good Spirit School Division (GSSD) in Saskatchewan is debunking myths and clarifying school rules relating to gender and sexual identity. In a Facebook post titled ‘Myth vs. Reality,’ GSSD addresses four misconceptions and provides fact checks to set the record straight. The aim of the post is to educate the community and provide accurate information.
One of the myths addressed in the post is the belief that students are allowed to identify as “furries” and use litter boxes in schools. GSSD clarifies that dressing as “furries” is not allowed, and claims about litter boxes in classrooms are completely false.
Another myth tackled is the misconception that gender-neutral washrooms promote a particular ideology. GSSD emphasizes that their policies adhere to guidelines from the Ministry of Education and are not influenced by any specific ideology.
The post also addresses the misconceptions that schools promote explicit material and homosexuality. GSSD states that they design their curriculum based on the Ministry of Education’s guidelines and do not promote explicit material or any particular sexual orientation.
Quintin Robertson, the director of education at GSSD, explains that the Facebook post was a response to the discussions surrounding the recent policy change that requires parental consent for students under 16 who wish to change their preferred pronouns or names. Robertson aims to arm the community with accurate information to combat misinformation.
The initiative by GSSD has been praised by Margo Allaire, board chair at Yorkton Pride, who believes it is timely and important, especially with the start of the school year. Allaire mentions the abundance of misinformation on the internet and suggests that other school divisions should follow GSSD’s example to improve communication with parents.
Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Education, however, distances itself from GSSD’s decision to address these myths. The ministry states that school divisions are responsible for their social media content and information dissemination. They believe that school divisions are in the best position to provide information to their school communities.
Overall, GSSD’s efforts to clarify school policies and dispel myths surrounding gender and sexual identity have generated positive responses. The community appreciates the initiative taken by the school division to educate and communicate effectively with parents and students.