SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY

Background

The District is committed to establishing and maintaining a safe and positive environment free of discrimination, harassment and intimidation for all students, employees and community members regardless of sexual orientation and/or gender identity (SOGI).  The District is particularly committed to supporting those who do not confirm with the cultural majority of sexual orientations and/or gender identities.

The District will provide a safe environment, free from harassment, discrimination and intimidation, while also promoting proactive strategies and guidelines to ensure that the SOGI community is welcomed and included in all aspects of education and school life while being treated with respect and dignity.

The District will not permit, encourage, nor tolerate any behaviours contrary to these commitments, whether by omission or by failing to act to bring such behaviours to an end, and is committed to providing support and assistance to those who may be the intended or unintended targets of such behaviours.

Procedures

1. The District believes in equitable treatment of all individuals regardless of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age or any other perceived difference.
2. The District is committed to:
   1. Ensuring that schools and the District at large are places of understanding, safety and support for all people regardless of sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
   2. Ensuring that all SOGI students, employees and others who participate in the academic and social aspects of our schools are treated with respect and dignity, which includes both their right to privacy and their right to be supported and free from harassment, discrimination or harm.
   3. Enabling all SOGI students, employees and others who participate in the life of our schools see themselves and their lives positively reflected in the curriculum, learning resources and learning commons collections.
   4. Ensuring that all employees are aware of their responsibilities as it relates to creating safety and support for all students and employees regardless of sexual orientation and/or gender identity, and to supporting administrators, counsellors and teacher and CUPE leaders in educating colleagues. 
   5. Providing age-appropriate learning activities that promote respect for and reduce discrimination against anyone who is a member of the SOGI community.
   6. Supporting parents in their awareness of the issues captured in this Administrative Procedure and of their opportunities to ensure that their children have and exhibit understanding and care as it relates to members of the SOGI community.
   7. Ongoing, constructive and open dialogue with any people or organizations that identify themselves on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identity in order to increase cooperation and collaboration among home, school and community.
   8. Ensuring that the confidentiality of the sexual orientation and gender identity of students and employees is protected. Students and staff who are out as SOGI will be given the support they require to do their work in a safe and respectful environment.
   9. Making available a universal single-stall washroom for use by students and staff in all district facilities.
   10. Individuals may choose to use washrooms that match their gender identity.
3. All employees of the District will be supported in being able to identify discriminatory attitudes and behaviours as described in this Administrative Procedure, and are expected to be committed to eliminating the harm, inequities and barriers that might exist in relation to orientation and gender identity.
4.  All administrators, teachers, counsellors, and staff and student leaders will work together to support the District’s position in the school community.  This will include leaders in schools ensuring that activities are undertaken at the beginning of each school year to make all members of the school community aware of the expectations and provisions of this Administrative Procedure, including the expectation that every member of our school communities will work purposefully to eliminate harmful behaviours and ensure safety and support for SOGI students and staff.
5. School administrators and counsellors will ensure that counselling and support are provided to students regarding sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.  Elementary, middle and secondary schools are expected to appoint a staff person to be a Safe Contact for students and a resource person for sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
6. Students will have the right to self-identification and determination which includes the name by which they wish to be addressed and the pronouns that correspond to their gender identity. Students have the right to express their gender identity or gender through what they wear to school.
7. Whenever possible and permitted by law, requests made by a student, or the parent/guardian, to change the student’s official record to reflect their preferred name and/or gender identity will be accommodated.  Whenever possible, the student’s preferred name and/or gender identity will be included on class lists, timetables and student files.
8. The use of changerooms by transgender and gender non-conforming students shall be assessed on an individual basis, and in consultation with the student, with the goals of maximizing social inclusion, minimizing stigmatization, and providing equal opportunity to participate in physical health education classes and sports.
9. Schools will focus on creating inclusive activities, however, when activities remain segregated by sex, transgender and gender non-conforming students will have the option to be included in teams, groups and Physical Health Education classes that correspond with their gender identity.
10. Students will be included and accommodated for in all extra-curricular activities regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, including support to set up a Gender-Sexuality-Alliance (GSAs) or similar club.
11. Any language or behaviour that deliberately degrades, denigrates, labels, stereotypes or incites hatred, prejudice, discrimination or harassment towards students or employees on the basis of their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity will not be tolerated. Principals will be expected to specifically include the specific provision of such language and behaviour in their schools’ student codes of conduct.
12. Resources are to be available in every school and be chosen or updated to promote critical thinking and include materials that support the tenets of this Administrative Procedure. Principals will share and promote resource materials that provide knowledge, skills, and strategies for educators to recognize, understand and challenge discrimination such as homophobia and transphobia. Keeping in mind the cultural diversity within the District, many of the above resources are to reflect the W̱SÁNEĆ community and the specific characteristics of two-spirited people.
    1. The District will participate in provincially recognized organizations such as the BC SOGI Educator Network, a network for educators who are interested in SOGI-inclusive education.  As an example, SOGI 123 is a resource that provides schools and teachers with ready to use, grade-level appropriate lesson plans, online learning modules, and customizable templates and tools that align with the BC curriculum.
    2. Each school’s SOGI lead works together as part of the District’s SOGI network.  The school lead is an advocate for SOGI, supports students and staff in building their capacity, and champions SOGI related initiatives at the local and provincial level.
13. Principals are expected to ensure that students are educated in the areas of understanding, diversity, harassment, discrimination, anti-homophobia, anti-transphobia, and anti-heterosexism through the BC provincial curriculum in ways that are curricularly relevant and age appropriate.

Language is ever evolving, and the individual is always the expert on what language and terms they consider respectful and inclusive of themselves.  Current terms are as indicated in the BC Ministry of Education SOGI 123:   https://bc.sogieducation.org/q-a