Catholic school division faces criticism at downtown rally

People gathered outside the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (GSCS) building Thursday following controversy around a leaked email and a tent at a local festival.

The email, sent by GSCS superintendent Tom Hickey, asked staff members taking students to the Nutrien Children’s Festival of Saskatchewan to avoid the festival’s LGBTQ2S+-positive Rainbow Tent.

The school division’s director of education, François Rivard, issued a statement last Friday, apologizing for the “deep hurt” the message caused.

While rain started to come down, about 100 people — some dressed in colourful clothing and holding signs — gathered near the building’s steps as Hickey addressed them.

“I know we’ve got a long ways to go. I’m sorry. We love you. We love the students that come to our school,” Hickey said.

Hickey acknowledged that trust was broken between the school division and community.

“There’s lots of you that are angry,” he said.

Hickey told the crowd he will continue to meet and connect with people from the community, and said the school division will work on professional learning for staff around how to support and recognize students.

Questions emerged from the crowd. Patti Rowley asked Hickey if he would retract his email and let students from the school interact with the Rainbow Tent.

Hickey didn’t answer directly, but said he would try to reply to the messages he’s received since the email emerged.

Rowley, a retired teacher, said that after she read the email, she reached out to Hickey herself. Rowley said she feels the email marginalizes queer and vulnerable children.

“Actively excluding part of your community is not only hurtful, but harmful and dangerous,” she said, adding that she wants to see real action taken.

“Even though they are saying they’re doing more dialoguing and next-stepping and everything, I’m not sure that’s happening this year,” she said.

Mykaela Mennie, another attendee at the rally, said she showed up to support her friends in the LGBTQ2S+ community.

“We all deserve to feel safe and accepted, whether it’s at school or in the workplace or anywhere else,” she said.

Mennie said she felt the email’s message was unacceptable.

“It does not promote that safety that we are all looking for,” she said.

“I really hope the Catholic school board thinks wisely about their next steps, because there are a lot of people waiting for answers.”