Ontario education minister staying out of Catholic school board's Pride flag ban | CBC News

"Education Minister Paul Calandra has denied a request to overturn a Catholic school board's decision not to fly the Pride flag because he cannot interfere in denominational issues, even in boards under supervision."

"Trustees at the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board voted two years ago against allowing flags marking Pride and other events. The board is now one of eight under provincial supervision for what Calandra has called financial mismanagement, and last fall Calandra directed it to change its policy to fly orange flags on National Day of Truth And Reconciliation."

"The Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association asked Calandra to use his provincial supervision powers to also direct that the board fly the Pride flag. But Calandra says in correspondence back to OECTA obtained by The Canadian Press that he was able to make the direction on Every Child Matters and survivor flags last fall because they were not denominational matters."

"Calandra says that the board supervisor can direct trustees to hold a meeting to reconsider their decision, and he has directed the supervisor to do so due to the importance of the issue."

The Education Minister denied a request to overturn a Catholic school board’s decision not to fly the Pride flag. The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board previously voted against allowing flags marking Pride and other events. The board is under provincial supervision due to financial mismanagement. The minister had previously directed the board to change its policy to fly orange flags on National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. The Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association asked the minister to use supervision powers to require the Pride flag as well. The minister said earlier directions applied to Every Child Matters and survivor flags because they were not denominational matters. He said the supervisor can direct trustees to reconsider their decision and ordered a meeting due to the issue’s importance.

Read at www.cbc.ca