Making the Grade: An analysis of sexual orientation and gender identity policies in Alberta

This post was revised as of August 31, 2016 at 4:30pm

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Public Interest Alberta and the University of Alberta’s Dr. Kristopher Wells, Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Policy Studies have released Making the Grade, an analysis of four Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) policies that school boards have submitted to Alberta Education.  Read the press release here.  Read a detailed analysis of each of these four Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity policies, here.

Our Asks:

1. School boards and private schools to improve policies to “make the grade”
2. If school boards and private schools are unwilling to bring their policies up to an A+ standard, the Minister of Education should introduce legislation to ensure all students are supported and protected.
3. Policies must be made easily accessible to the public either on school boards’ websites or posted in one place by Alberta Education.  Students, staff, and families deserve to know what supports and protections are in place in their schools.

Dr. Wells used the following criteria in his analysis of the four Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) policies:

1. District has a specific/standalone sexual orientation and gender identity policy, procedure and/or resources

Policy is publicly available and easily accessible on district website

2. Policy complies with provincial legislation

• Is in compliance with Bill 10 and Alberta’s human rights legislation
• Includes specific protections for sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression
• Includes specific support for students to start a gay-straight alliance/queer-straight alliance, and name it as such

3. Clearly addresses the needs of sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ) students, staff, and families

4. Provides specific supports for transgender and non-binary students

• Includes clear provisions for washrooms, student records, athletics, locker rooms, field trips etc.

5. Protects student confidentiality and privacy

• Is in compliance with Alberta’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act

6. Imposes no special requirements/additional constraints

• Parental permission/notification is not required to attend a gay-straight alliance or queer-straight alliance meeting
• GSAs/QSAs are not subject to special requirements or approvals that are not applied equally to other student clubs in a school (i.e. Limited to certain grade levels, or require principal to approve speakers, materials or activities used in the club)

 Revised as of August 31, 2016 4:30pm

Revised as of August 31, 2016 4:30pm

Revised as of August 31, 2016 4:30pm

Revised as of August 31, 2016 4:30pm

Read a detailed analysis of each of these four SOGI policies, here.