By Patrick Book

Regina student speaks out about the need for gay support clubs in schools

Apr 17, 2013 | 6:27 AM

A Regina student is concerned it's too difficult for gay students to set up support clubs in high schools.

“Gay/straight alliances” (GSA) are meant to be safe places in a school where kids of all sexual orientations can offer each other support. Grade 11 student Halla Scott says she went to her teacher and a guidance counsellor at LeBoldus high school in Regina recently to ask about putting one together.

“I asked a teacher first and she didn't really know how to respond to it,” she told reporters at the Legislature Tuesday afternoon. “Then I went to the guidance cousellor's office. They responded saying it was against Catholic values and they also didn't know how to go about starting one, really.”

Scott is concerned because students with other sexual orientations may not have the kind of support from friends and family that she does. She feels a GSA could offer them a life-changing experience.

“I'm very safe but it only takes one person to change that.”

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She says there needs to be more information made available to students, staff, and teachers. She suggested it could be posted to the education ministry's web site, an idea raised last week by the official opposition in the legislature last week.

GSAs were discussed at length in the house last week during the Day of Pink. The NDP highlighted that the groups can offer significant support to students, particularly those that aren't “out” at home, and a protected space inside school to escape bullying. Party leader Cam Broten called on the government to post more information about GSAs on the ministry web site. Education critic David Forbes took up that call on Tuesday.

“We think the government should take some leadership. We believe students need a safe and secure place in our schools.
“You never know what student will reach out to what adult in a school setting so it’s important that we all have access and we all have the common language and some common, basic principles to work with.”

Like Premier Brad Wall last week, Minister Russ Marchuk resisted that notion. He stresses the issue of bullying goes beyond sexual orientation and the government's current focus is on the full spectrum, not one element.

“There are many different age groups, there are many different perspectives that we need to consider.”

He also points out that there is “a lot of information out there,” though it isn't specifically on the ministry web site. He does point out the Safe and Caring Schools tips and Canadian Public Health Association's toolkit on bullying are both available on the site.

He says now isn't the time to make such changes. He wants to wait until a government report on bullying prevention strategies is completed before changes are made.

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