Human rights complaint lodged against HSD

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This article was published 19/06/2016 (2839 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Hanover School Division now faces a human rights complaint in the ongoing debate over discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in the classroom.

Michelle McHale and Karen Phillips have been named as complainants in an application to the Manitoba Human Rights Commission. The couple are common-law partners and parents in a blended family.

Hanover School Division and its board of trustees are named as respondents.

GRANT BURR | THE CARILLON
Michelle McHale speaks a vigil held in Steinbach last Tuesday held in honour of the 49 victims of a mass shooting in Orlando on June 12. McHale and her common-law partner Karen Phillips have filed a human rights complaint against Hanover School Division and its board of trustees arguing the division's practice of excluding sexual orientation and gender identity from discussion in elementary and middle years classrooms is discriminatory and a breach of the Human Rights Code.
GRANT BURR | THE CARILLON Michelle McHale speaks a vigil held in Steinbach last Tuesday held in honour of the 49 victims of a mass shooting in Orlando on June 12. McHale and her common-law partner Karen Phillips have filed a human rights complaint against Hanover School Division and its board of trustees arguing the division's practice of excluding sexual orientation and gender identity from discussion in elementary and middle years classrooms is discriminatory and a breach of the Human Rights Code.

The couple’s complaint argues HSD’s practice of excluding sexual orientation and gender identity from discussion in elementary and middle years classrooms is discriminatory and a breach of the Human Rights Code.

McHale has become a high profile advocate on the issue over the past three months after appearing before the board of trustees in April and encouraging them to develop a more inclusive learning environment. She presented to trustees after learning one of her children was being bullied for living in a home with two mothers.

The majority of the board has indicated little desire to change current policies.

“The Complainants are concerned with the complete culture of exclusion and silence with respect to the LGBTTQ* community,” the complaint reads.

Remarks made by HSD trustees at a recent board meeting are also referenced in the complaint, those comments it argues are in breach of the division’s code of conduct for trustees.

The commission will review the application before deciding to proceed with an investigation.

In a statement HSD board chair Ron Falk said the division has not recieved an official notice of the complaint and would not comment further until the complaint was reviewed.

Update 12:15 p.m.: Adds response from school division chairman.

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