York Catholic District School Board defers motion to amend policy of flags flown at schools

York Catholic District School Board is seen in this undated photo. (Corey Baird/CTV News Toronto)

The York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) has deferred a motion to amend its flag policy, which, if passed, would restrict what flags can be flown on school property.

As it stands, the Canadian flag, Ontario's flag, the Municipal flag, Vatican's flag, the school flag and "other organizations as approved by the Board of Trustees" are permitted to be flown on school property.

According to the motion introduced by YCDSB trustee Frank Alexander, the school board has been "fraught with disunity over the flying of flags." And that an amendment to eliminate other organizations to have their flag flown outside the school is required, he said, "to bring unity and peace to the YCDSB."

The motion was deferred to the Policy Review Committee during Tuesday evening's YCDSB board meeting, with Alexander saying that it "needed tweaking."

York Region's chapter of Pflag, an organization that supports, educates and advocates for LGBTQ+ people and their families, is concerned that the proposed amendment is tied to a vote that happened last year, in which school board trustees voted against flying the pride flag outside of the York Catholic Education Centre.

"Locally, in terms of our mandate, we're concerned that the issue is still attached to the debate from last year about the Pride flag," the group's president, Tristan Coolman, told CP24 in an interview Wednesday.

Last May, trustees voted 6-4 against flying a rainbow-coloured flag outside its building in Aurora during the month of June.

"But this policy can also impact a number of different communities as well who may want a flag flown for their cause, and marginalized communities within the Catholic communities. It's not just an issue that we're concerned about for our communities, it's an issue we're concerned about for many," Coolman said.

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If the amendment is passed, the group will not be able to have their flag, or any Pride flag, flown outside of YCDSB schools.

In a letter to trustees on Monday, Coolman urged them not to support the motion, adding that it can be viewed as an act of faith-based colonialism.

"It is our position that these amendments work to restrict free speech, visibility, and celebration of many minority groups within the YCDSB. This homogenous approach to community building sanitizes the visibility of some minority groups in your student population, educators, and administrators," Coolman wrote.

"It is your job to provide students, staff, and administrators with the tools they need to support a thriving academic environment and build a strong community. These amendments do the opposite."

Alexander did not respond to a request for a comment from CTV News by the time of publication.