The Jan. 13 complaint letter from the presidents of the Prince George, Mackenzie and McBride Teachers Associations to the School District 57 board, complaining about what occurred at the Dec. 13 meeting, deserves a failing grade.
In their letter, Beauregard, Shannon Pride of the Mackenzie Teachers Association and Shirley Giroux of the McBride Teachers Association said starting the meeting with a Christian prayer “undermined inclusiveness, respect for diversity and reconciliation.”
Weber defended the choice, stating it was submitted from elders of the McLeod Lake Indian Band. Perhaps these teachers are unaware that a significant portion of Indigenous elders in the Prince George region are Christian (Roman Catholic, to be specific). So, in the spirit of reconciliation, these elders should be denied their chosen religious traditions? So much for diversity and inclusiveness.
Then the letter complains about Josh Silva’s “several unsubstantiated comments to characterize the public education system as failing, the work of teachers as abusive, and stated offensive views on gender and sexual identity inclusion” at the December meeting.
For Weber or any school board trustee to use their position to correct Silva on the spot – or worse, “asking him to leave” as Beauregard suggested Weber should have done – would be as ridiculous and “anti-democratic” (what Beauregard accused the board of being) as Prince George city council shutting down a presenter for having the gall to criticize them and the choices and conduct of city workers.
There is a big difference between Weber thanking Silva for sharing his views with the board and agreeing with what he said.
There is a big difference between criticizing the work of educators and criticizing the educators themselves.
There is a big difference between criticizing gender and sexual identity curriculum in the classroom and discriminating against non-binary students and school district employees.
Arguing these differences should be seen in the same light is a false equivalence.
In the same way, this editorial is a criticism of Beauregard’s words in his letter and his comments to the school board at Tuesday’s meeting but is in no way a personal attack on Beauregard as an individual or as a teacher.
The B.C. Human Rights Code is not supposed to be a weapon to attack concerned residents speaking contrary views to their elected representatives. It is a shield meant to protect individuals, groups and views in the present and future from the systemic abuses of the past. Furthermore, the code plays second fiddle to the Charter of Rights, which protects both Silva and Beauregard’s freedom of expression.
I completely disagree with what Silva is reported to have said and I completely defend his right to respectfully but forcefully share his views at a public meeting.
