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Gay-Friendly Harassment Policy Approved by Toronto Catholic District School Board

By Elizabeth O'Brien

TORONTO, August 17, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The recently approved Discrimination and Harassment in the Workplace regulations for the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) include the protection of same-sex partnership despite the fact that such relationships expressly contradict Catholic Church teaching.

On May 2 the TCDSB approved the new regulations against discrimination and harassment, stating at the same time that the board is committed to "providing a safe and welcoming environment that is an example of Christian Community". In addition, the board "gives pre-eminence to the tenets of Roman Catholicism."

Discrimination is defined as "unfair treatment" based on a list of qualities such as race, sex, colour, ancestry, place of origin, ethnic origin, marital status, age, disability, citizenship, family status or religion. The list now includes "same sex partner status" and "sexual orientation."

(To read the Toronto Catholic District School Board workplace harassment regulations visit the website: http://www.tcdsb.org/policyregister/HM14.html.)

The regulations apply to all "Board employees, contract employees, volunteers and trustees who are employed by or perform functions for the Toronto Catholic District School Board."

Commenting on the 2007 Discrimination and Harassment policy, Fr. Alphonse de Valk, editor of Catholic Insight magazine, told LifeSiteNews.com, "The school board should immediately reverse itself and reject this document. Homosexual activists should never be teachers in Catholic schools. It's as simple as that. Now, if the board will not change its stance on active homosexuality, it will mean the end of Catholic schools."

"The justification of homosexual marriage and thereby also the justification of homosexual activity is a huge threat against the Catholic schools. They are both directly contrary to Catholic teaching. The bishops must step in. The trustees as well must meet immediately to take steps to help reverse this decision."

Neil McCarthy, spokesman for Toronto Archbishop Thomas Collins, said that he could not officially comment on the new harassment policy until the TCDSB had been contacted. TCDSB Chair Oliver Carroll, however, did not reply to phone calls. Trustee Angela Kennedy told LifeSiteNews that she would look into the matter, but she did not reply by press time.

Also published on the TCDSB website, is a 2006 protocol agreement between the Toronto Police and the TCDSB for "Bullyproofing" schools. The protocol defines "Hate-and/or Biased-Motivated Incidents" as including "literature, leaflets, posters, graffiti distributed (or sent by electronic means) to incite violence or hatred against an identifiable group and/or their property." These groups may include "persons distinguished by their race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation or other similar factor."

Such "hate incidents" are numbered among the list of offences that require police response.

The protocol and the new board policy are both part of a growing tolerance in Canadian Catholic schools towards active homosexuality. The approval comes shortly after a series of discoveries that certain Catholic schools in Ontario were stocking their shelves with books and videos that advocated an active homosexual lifestyle. It also follows on the heels of the BC government's approval of a new, gay-friendly curriculum that will be implemented this fall.

To read Catholic Church teaching on homosexual acts:
http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm

To contact the TCDSB Chair and Trustees and politely voice concerns:

Oliver Carroll, TCDSB Chair
80 Sheppard Ave. E.
North York, On
M2N 6E8
Phone: 416.512.3408
Email: oliver.carroll@tcdsb.org

To Contact the Archdiocese of Toronto and respectfully voice concerns:

Archbishop Thomas Collins
1155 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario, M4T 1W2
Phone: (416) 934-0606, ext. 609
Fax: (416) 934-3452
Email:archbishop@archtoronto.org

Read related LifeSiteNews coverage:

B.C. Gay Couple Seeks Mandatory Homosexual School Curriculum Without Parental Opt-Out:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/jul/05071106.html

Waterloo Catholic School Board Found Supporting Pro-homosexual Groups and
Literature   
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/jun/07062605.html

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