Dear Editor,
Re; ‘Ethos of acceptance’ still needed, News, July 22.
The Richmond School Board continues to be a major embarrassment to the citizens of this city, in their stubborn refusal to join the progressive school districts in the Lower Mainland and make the cities schools safe and comfortable places for all students.
The thrust for changes to the schools’ policies to institute gay/straight alliance clubs has been driven by teachers and students who see, every day, the need for a culture of affirmation and support for students in the LGBT community.
This week, the B.C. government amended the Human Rights Code to now recognize gender identity and expression as a protected human right, but, as trustee Sandra Nixon says, the district still has a lot of catching up to do as many students are still voicing that they feel marginalized in many ways.
The citizens of this city believe in compassion, tolerance and inclusivity, especially for LGBT students, and it is shameful that the district's trustees are allowing their own ideology to deny Richmond's most vulnerable students policies that would make their school days much more safe, comfortable and enjoyable.
Alan Halliday
Richmond
