Two Brandon school trustees want to reverse anti-2SLGBTQ+ rhetoric
Posted October 26, 2023 1:58 pm.
Last Updated October 28, 2023 12:56 pm.
Two newly elected school trustees in Manitoba’s second-largest city, Brandon, want to end anti-2SLGBTQ+ activism at board meetings, after the community has endured several attacks over the last few months.
Kirk Carr was elected as a school trustee in Brandon Wednesday night. He says his first order of business is to end the hate towards the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
“Make sure that we are getting back to we are having the best interest of the students, instead of a small group of adults,” said Carr. “We need to rise above the hate, and we just need to love.”
In May, a ban on 2SLGBTQ+ books in the Brandon School Division was voted down, after members in that community called for the removal, claiming these books were “harmful” to children. Anti-2SLGBTQ+ delegations have since been attending school board meetings, which has caused disruptions.
“This group came from the COVID movement, from the convoy’s and stuff, and once the mask mandate dropped, they picked up a new rally cry,” said Carr.
Carr says it’s important to restore unity within the community. Lorraine McConnell, who was also elected, agrees.
“Public education, there is no room to target any group, any culture, it’s meant for all children and all families,” said Lorraine McConnell, Elected School Trustee for Ward 2 of the Brandon School Division.
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McConnell says it’s important that the board goes back to focusing on children’s education. As one of the newest school trustees, she is sharing a message to those who oppose the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
“Ask questions. Be open to learn. Respect all human life. Everyone out there just wants to live their life to the best they can, to be loved and to be respected,” explained McConnell.
Laura Crookshanks with the Brandon and Area PFLAG group, says this is a major victory, not just for the 2SLGBTQ+ community, but everyone.
“In this election and the results, while they are exciting and relieving, are also really important for people to take note of that the people have spoken and this is the direction that majority of the people in this area want to go,” said Crookshanks.
Aly Wowchuk, the Chair of Brandon Pride, is happy to see the newly elected school trustees but says the last few months have been difficult.
“It’s been very exhausting; it’s been very sad. Our community is frustrated, and we have been working really hard, as Brandon Pride, to get the note out there but just making sure the right people and the right places are making those decisions for the benefit of everyone. A lot of these delegations don’t just affect the 2SLGBTQ+ community, it affects all of us,” said Wowchuk.
