Hanover trustee puts his views on gender identity, race on social media

A current Hanover School Division trustee and candidate in the next school board election has voiced his views on sex, gender, race, role of teachers, the how students should be treated, along with other points of view, in a social media post.

Trustee Jeff Friesen wrote in a Facebook post last Thursday his views on such matters after receiving a set of seven questions from fellow HSD trustee and current City of Steinbach council candidate Brad Unger. Unger sent his questions last week to all trustee candidates, with the intent to post their answers online.

“I believe these principles because they are consistent with Scripture, the natural family structure, biological reality, parental responsibility, child-safety principles, and the proper role of public education. At the same time, I believe every person – including people with whom I profoundly disagree (with) – should be treated with dignity, respect and compassion,” Friesen wrote in his Facebook post.

Unger’s questions are as follows with the question of “What do you believe?” following: I believe that sex and gender are the same thing and that there are only two; I do not believe that a boy can become a girl or a girl can become a boy; I do not believe that an adult should ever ask a child to keep something secret from their parents; I do not believe a teacher should ever ask a child for their pronouns or their sexual preference; I believe that the only flags that should be in the classroom are the Canadian and Manitoba flag; I believe that a child should never be made to feel guilty for being white; and I believe that no adults have a greater love for a child than that child’s parents.

Despite expressing his desire in his reponse that it be published, Friesen would not return requests for an interview, but in answering Unger’s questions he quoted Scripture and used his definition of “worldly truth.” The first question from Unger touched on sexual identity, Friesen answered that biologically men and women are assigned their sex at birth and this never changes.

“I don’t believe a person can literally change from biologically male to biologically female or vice versa. I also believe every person should be treated with dignity and compassion, regardless of whether I agree with their beliefs about themselves,” he wrote.

He also stated that teachers should not ask about or take on a parental role regarding a child’s sexual identity or sexual preference and that parents should be informed if their child voices their sexual preference or identity in school, as they have the child’s best interests, unless there is a “legitimate and legally recognized” child safety issue.

Friesen also believes that teachers shouldn’t ask for or consent to using a student’s preferred pronouns. He wrote that only the Manitoba and Canadian flags should be displayed on school property as doing otherwise could encourage children “to adopt particular political or ideological positions.”

TransManitoba executive director Charlie Eau said Friesen’s religious justifications are not valid when making decisions that affect students “as the Bible doesn’t belong in schools.” Eau (who uses the pronouns they/them) also said Friesen’s arguments are scientifically inaccurate and his unknowledgeable responses regarding gender and sex and his dismissiveness in regards to intersex people and gender minorities are harmful as these people get a disproportionate amount of discrimination and hate within society.

“I think this is a part of a pattern of behavior in the Hanover School District of human rights violations against queer and trans folks that are well-documented in Manitoba. I think that these beliefs violate the human rights of queer and trans kids and will undoubtedly cause harm. Risking outing children to unsupportive families puts them in danger,” said Eau.

“Having one accepting adult (a teacher) in a queer child’s life can save their life. I also want to say that queerness is an identity that is made political by systemic oppression and exclusion, and that there is nothing harmful about displaying symbols of resilience and shared identity in a classroom. You just never know who might need those symbols, and nobody is harmed by the presence of a rainbow flag,” they noted.

Regarding Unger’s question on race, Friesen stated that history about colonization, racism, and Indigenous peoples should be taught in school, however, he thinks that white children should not be made to feel guilty about their race in regard to these historic racial injustices.

Answering another Unger question about the relationships children have with teachers, Friesen stated that adults should never ask children to keep something confidential from their parents, “I believe adults should not deliberately cultivate secret relationships with children against their parents. Where a genuine safety concern exists, established child-protection procedures should be followed rather than simply creating a secret between an adult and child.”

On June 2, the school board passed a motion to create a policy eliminating the mature minor designation in its schools and a requirement that parents be informed and give consent to any health care their child receives at Hanover schools, thus eliminating confidentiality for students. Friesen, who is board vice-chair, was a supporter of this motion stating at the time, “(Saying), ‘Well, they’re mature enough, and we’re superseding parents’ rights.’ That can happen, but not in our schools.”

The board’s motion led Education Minister Tracey Schmidt to write a letter to board chair Dallas Wiebe forcing the board to revoke the motion as it was illegal and against the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Health Care Directives Act, and the Public Health Act. Failure to revoke the motion in its Sept. 1 meeting would lead the minister to appoint an official trustee.

“All of this information ought to be known to you and has been shared with you previously,” wrote Schmidt. “Your presumed knowledge of your legal and constitutional responsibilities would lead a reasonable observer to conclude you passed this motion at best for public attention and at worst to pick a fight. We encourage you to focus on the education of children in your division and leave the health-care policy development to the health-care experts.”

In another Facebook post where he was presented with questions about protecting and respecting students’ rights even those who might be marginalized, Friesen said he believes every student matters and deserves dignity, safety, opportunity, and a quality education.

“I believe parents have an important and primary role in their children’s lives, teachers should be respected for their professional expertise, and trustees should govern responsibly rather than use their position for personal political agendas.”