Police called to Niagara Catholic School Board meeting amid Pride flag motion debate

A Niagara Regional Police Service sign is shown in St. Catharines, Ont., Friday, March 15, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Lynett

Police were called into a meeting at the Niagara Catholic District School Board on Tuesday as audience members grew hostile while the board debated a motion to ban the Pride flag from school properties, which was ultimately voted down.

The motion, introduced by trustee Natalia Benoit, would have amended the board's flag protocol to specify that the Pride flag would not be flown on school grounds or offices, citing the schools' mission to teach students "within the context of Catholic values."   

• Download our app to get alerts on your device

"Flying the Pride flag is perceived as endorsing a particular social or political stance that is not aligned with the teachings of the Catholic church," the motion read, adding that inclusivity could be demonstrated "through other means," such as anti-bullying initiatives.

Jennifer McArthur, president of the Niagara elementary unit of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association, opposed the motion at the meeting, saying the Pride flag is a symbol of human dignity.

"The Pride flag reflects our belief that all individuals are deserving of love, respect and the freedom to express their identity," McArthur said in her presentation to the board.

Board spokesperson Jennifer Pellegrini said about 100 people attended the meeting, "most of them in support of trustee Benoit's motion."

McArthur's speech was disrupted when one person in the audience repeatedly refused to stop recording video when board chair and trustee Danny Di Lorenzo asked them to. Others began jeering and shouting at the speaker and trustees.

An audience member was heard loudly questioning whether the Pride flag was "God-approved" in the Bible. Another yelled: "Shame on you."

In an interview Wednesday, Di Lorenzo said he deemed Tuesday's chaos "an unsafe environment," prompting staff to ask for security to step in and for the public gallery to be cleared. He said they then called Niagara police for assistance.

The tensions in the meeting were "totally uncalled for," he said, adding that the audience's reaction was unexpected.

"The purpose of this meeting was not for people to come and grandstand, and make a point of it," Di Lorenzo said. "It was to resolve an issue, to debate an issue and vote on it."

In a statement, Niagara police spokesperson Const. Philip Gavin confirmed officers were called to the scene "to protect the peace" and ensure the safety of everyone involved. He said there were no arrests or charges.

The motion was ultimately voted down 5-2 after the meeting resumed. Benoit and trustee Joe Bruzzese, who voted in favour of the motion, did not respond to requests for comment.

Di Lorenzo said Benoit had followed the correct protocols when introducing the motion, as was "her right" as a trustee.

"I can't fault her for bringing the motion to the table," Di Lorenzo said, noting that Benoit can bring forward the motion again in six months, if desired. "It's the people that supported her who should know they’re not doing her any justice in what they did."

Benoit's actions have previously prompted controversy at the school board. Earlier this year, the board censured Benoit for six months after an independent investigation found she had breached the trustee code of conduct with comments comparing the Pride flag to the Nazi flag last year.

Di Lorenzo said moving forward he hopes the board can move on from the motion and Tuesday's events, adding it's the students who should be at the forefront of the conversation.

"Trustees decided five to two that flying the flag, in this case, is what’s best as part of their learning environment," Di Lorenzo said. "We need to move forward, and we need to realize that our energy needs to be focused on more things that directly affect the students." 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.