Chaos and commotion erupted at a York Region school board meeting in Aurora on Tuesday over a debate about raising a Pride flag.
In a meeting Tuesday night, the York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) discussed whether or not to raise the Pride flag in June to honour Pride month.
“The York Catholic District School Board is involved in ongoing conversations with a number of stakeholders about whether or not to fly the Progress Pride Flag at their central office in June. There was no motion on the table last night for voting and there has not yet been a decision on flying the Pride Flag at the YCDSB,” the school board said in a statement Wednesday.
“The York Catholic District School Board is committed to our Catholic faith and to the well-being of our students and staff. The YCDSB believes that 2SLGBTQIA+ students are loved by God and are valued members of our school communities,” the board added.
TCDSB teacher and parent, Paolo De Buono was scheduled to present his delegation to the board about his support of raising the flag, but instead, he says the board refused to hear it claiming “it conflicted with its Catholic values.”
In a tweet, De Buono assured his speech was not offensive nor hurtful.
The meeting began in the YCDSB boardroom and quickly became heated as parents expressed their outrage regarding the 2SLGBTQ+ issues being discussed.
York Regional Police (YRP) had to be called in to manage the gallery and subsequently escorted the parents to the hallway where the riot continued.
Police say they arrived at the scene to de-escalate the situation around 9 p.m.
“York Regional Police received a call regarding a disturbance at a meeting in Aurora. Police were called to keep the peace. Upon arrival, officers found the situation was calm and the crowd gradually dispersed,” Srgt. Clint Whitney said in a statement to Now Toronto Wednesday.
According to YRP, no arrests were made and there were no reports of any injuries or property damage.
Some parents went as far to shout “the devil incarnate!” and “shame! Shame!” towards De Buono, as seen in the video he posted.
As a result of the ruckus, De Buono says emotions were running high amongst several students present at the meeting.
“I saw students crying, in fear, in the boardroom, as they heard York Catholic community members shouting angrily from the lobby. How can such a simple but important form of recognition, a Pride flag, cause so many in York Region to become so angry?” reads a tweet by De Buono.
RESPONSE FROM COMMUNITY
The outcry from the meeting triggered a wave of reactions from both supporters and opposition alike.
On the other end of the spectrum, many people are supporting the idea that the Pride flag should not be raised.
President of Pflag Canada York Region, Tristan Coolman, an advocate for the 2SLGBTQ+community, attended the meeting and called the experience “deeply disturbing on a number of levels.
He says it was his first YCDSB meeting in person and that it was mostly positive because he saw many parents and allies who came out to show their support.
“We have offered our amicable and respectful support for your efforts to better support queer students and staff with each and every letter having gone unanswered,” he said in a statement.
Coolman was invited to the meeting by two students who were sharing their deputation to mandate flying the progress Pride flag during June.
Though his joy was short-lived, as the two students were eventually berated by livid parents who disagreed with their proposal.
Coolman believes the board mishandled the affair because it should have had police present from the start.
Pflag says it is officially designating the board as an unsafe space for the LGBTQ2IA+ community of York Region beginning on June 1.
