EPSB.ca » Our Division » Board Policies & Administrative Regulations » H - Students » HFA.BP Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
To articulate the Board of Trustees’ (the Board) commitment to support all sexual and gender minority students, staff and families.
To reflect the Board’s mandated responsibility and expectation for providing a welcoming, inclusive, safe and healthy learning and working environment throughout the Division.
Definitions for the following terms and for terminology for all other policies related to AE.BP Welcoming, Inclusive, Safe and Healthy Learning and Working Environments are found in a Glossary of Terms (linked in References).
The Board is committed to establishing and maintaining a safe, inclusive, equitable, and welcoming learning and teaching environment for all members of the school community. This includes those students, staff, and families who identify or are perceived as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirit, queer or questioning their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. The Board expects all members of this diverse community to be welcomed, respected, accepted, and supported in every school.
All members of the school community have the right to learn and work in an environment free of discrimination, prejudice, and harassment. This right is guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Alberta Human Rights Act, and Alberta Education Act. These rights shall be supported, and enforced so that all members of the school community may work together in an atmosphere of mutual respect and appreciation for individual differences. The Board will not tolerate harassment, bullying, intimidation, or discrimination on the basis of a person's actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
The Board affirms the rights, as provided for in the Alberta Human Rights Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, of each staff member employed by the Board and each student enrolled in a school operated by the Board. Staff members employed by the Board and students enrolled in a school operated by the Board will not be discriminated against as provided for in the Alberta Human Rights Act or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The Board believes that all sexual and gender minority students, staff and families have the right to:
The Board is committed to implementing measures that will:
The Board also recognizes the need to develop and maintain mutually supportive relationships with a variety of sexual orientation and gender identity minority groups in order to ensure the ongoing improvement of the implementation of this policy.
The Board understands that institutional and cultural change occurs over time and believes that the provision of an annual report at a public board meeting on progress related to the strategic directions and benchmarks identified in this policy will ensure accountability and demonstrate the Division's commitment to supporting our diverse communities.
The Board will comply with requirements respecting this policy established by the Minister.
(please see Sections 33(1), 35.1(1))