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The 180

Catholic trustee says board should accept GSAs

There was so much debate over a Bill 10 in Alberta, that it's been put on hold. Edmonton Catholic Schools Trustee Patricia Grell supports gay-straight alliances (GSAs) in Catholic schools.
CBC News ·
Some people opposed to Bill 10 and its amendment gathered outside the government building in Calgary on December 12, 2014 for a rally. (CBC)
The 1806:18A Catholic school trustee calls on her colleagues to accept gay-straight alliances

Patricia Grell says she just couldn't keep quiet any more. The Edmonton Catholic Schools Trustee wants everyone to know that she thinks gay-straight alliances (GSAs) are a good fit for Catholic schools.

Last week, the Alberta government slammed the brakes on a bill it had tabled to address the rights of LGBTQ students. The bill raised so much controversy that Premier Jim Prentice decided to put it on hold while he consulted the public. But it started discussions across the province about gay-straight alliances, and whether the province should force all schools to have them. Tony Sykora, president of the Alberta Catholic School Trustees Association, said his schools already support LGBTQ students, without having GSAs.

There's all kinds of support groups within schools...such as the Diversity Club, and the Safe and Caring Club, those are groups that do exist- Tony Sykora, president of the Alberta Catholic School Trustees' Association

But Patricia Grell says that's not good enough. She says the Catholic school system provides special support for girls, for First Nations students, for students with high academic performance, and others, so she doesn't see why they can't do the same for LGBTQ youth: "We need to approach these students in a specific way. They have specific issues to deal with that are different from other kids."

I think there's a contradiction going on. We do special outreach to all sorts of kids. Why wouldn't we do it for these kids? Just because they're gay? Is that's what's really going on? That's my concern.- Patricia Grell, Edmonton Catholic Schools Trustee

She says she hears lots of support for GSAs, so she decided to speak up. She calls it a matter of conscience, and says her beliefs are rooted in her faith: "As Catholics, we are called to help the vulnerable. That's what Jesus came to teach us."

Grell hopes she can convince her fellow trustees that GSAs are nothing to be afraid of, and that they fit with Catholic teachings.

In the end, Patricia Grell echoes the words of her Pope: "Who am I to judge?"

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