Proposal for a Queer-Centric High School

A University of Toronto student is proposing Toronto open a queer-centric secondary school. He thinks it is an important step to get LGBT kids greater acceptance in the community, but others think the move promotes segregation not acceptance.

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Part One of The Current

Toronto proposes a Queer-Centric High School - Dan Savage

Stefonknee Wolscht is a transgender woman who does outreach work in Toronto. We caught up with her on Wednesday night after a meeting at the 519 Church Street Community Centre in Toronto. The meeting considered a proposal to start an LGBT-centric high school in Toronto -- a separate school for struggling lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender students. The Toronto District School board already has something called The Triangle Program. It's an alternative education program that provides a safe classroom space for LGBT students.

The Board takes no position on whether or not there should be an entire school; the idea was proposed by a University of Toronto student. And it's a controversial idea within the LGBT community.

Dan Savage is an author, sex advice columnist and may be best known for starting the It Gets Better project that helps assure LGBT youths that their lives will improve. He's in Winona, Minnesota.

Toronto proposes a Queer-Centric High School - Dan Savage

Fan Wu is the University of Toronto student who proposed the idea of an LGBT-centric school. Michael Erickson is an high school teacher and LGBT advocate working in Toronto.

This segment was produced by The Current's Ben Edwards.

Other segments from today's show:

• Housing First Model: Combating Homelessness
• Dreaded Stink Bug found in Ontario