Cheers as Brandon School Division rejects call to remove library books on sexuality, gender identity

WARNING: This story contains descriptions of bullying and mentions suicide.

Loud cheers erupted inside a packed high school gymnasium after the Brandon School Division rejecteda call to remove books dealing with sexuality and gender identity from libraries.

Hundreds of people in Manitoba's second-largest cityshowed up for themarathon school division meeting, which ran into the early morning hours.

The trustees ultimately voted 6-1 to reject a proposal to create a committee of trustees and parents to review books available in division schools.

The school division was inundated with calls, letters and emailsafter a delegation at its May 8 meeting, led by former school trustee and grandmother Lorraine Hackenschmidt,called on the division to set up a committee to review the content of books available in school libraries, and remove titles deemed inappropriate, including "any books that caused our kids to question whether they are in the wrong body."

Brandon vote rejects call to remove library books on sexuality, gender identity

1 year ago

Duration 3:08

They met and listened, until the early hours of the morning. In the end, trustees in Brandon have rejected a call to ban books from school libraries. Hundreds were at the marathon meeting of the Brandon School Division's board of trustees. 30 delegations turned out to speak on the proposal to remove certain books dealing with sexuality and gender identity.

Before the vote, board chair Linda Ross said there were many "errors and untruths" in Hackenschmidt'spresentation.

Ross said that by denying the possibility that people could feel like they are born in the wrong body, "you are denying the reality of others. Because it is not your experience does not mean that it is not the reality of others."

Meeting moved

Tuesday's board of trusteesmeeting was held in Vincent Massey High School in the southwestern Manitoba city, where it had been relocated to accommodate the number of people expected toattend.

More than 30 people but not Hackenschmidt herself registered to speak at the meetingbefore school trustees votedon theproposal brought forward onMay 8.

A large number of people in the audience held up signs supporting LGBTQ people, while others held signs declaring their one-word response to the proposal: "Don't."

First to speak was Jason Foster, a student at Vincent Massey High Schoolwho identified himself as transgender.

Foster started by thanking everyone in attendance, "no matter your opinion, no matter your stance."

Hewent on to describe his experiences as a transgender youth, saying he has been told to kill himself, and telling the trustees that being trans is not a choice.

"If it were, then people would not choose it," he said. "I have been told that the only way I would make my parents proud is if they found me hanging in my living room because I am transgender."

Removing the bookswould harm transgender youth, Foster said.

"If that content is banned and suppressed they will think something is wrong," he said. "Children will hate themselves ... Children are going to die because they believe their existence is wrong."

Trustees also heard from Penni Jones, who said her son is trans.

"I have always told my children that school is their safe place aside from our home," she said.

"If you, the trustees of the Brandon School Division, decide to form a committee to look at banning books of the LBGTQ nature, school will no longer be a safe place for my son."

The first of two delegates to speak in support of Hackenschmidt's call fora committee to review the books wasJohn Roozendaal. He said they are all there because they are invested in the lives of students in the Brandon School Division.

"With that common ground, my most sincere hope is that we would all have the tolerance to allow each other to ask questions about the education they're receiving," he told the trustees.

"Books may be found to be inappropriate. Let them be examined by adults with the best interests of children and the light of day for all to see."

The only trustee to vote in favour of proposal was Breeanna Sieklicki, who was criticized by a number of speakersfor comments she made at the May 8 meeting, when she told Hackenschmidt it took "courage" to come before the board and raise her concerns.

Loni Powell, the last speaker of the evening,told the board Sieklicki should be removed from her position, which was met with a loud cheer.

Before the vote, Sieklickisaid she supported the call to review all books, not only those dealing with LGBTQ issues.

"We need to look at these books because why are we trying to sexualize kids in our schools?" she said.

She stated that she did not think the committee should have the power to remove the books, but she wanted to "get the conversation started."

Books in question

Some titles singled out by the May 8 delegation includedBeing Jazzby Jazz Jennings, an American transgender advocate, andIt's Perfectly Normalby Robie H. Harris, an illustrated book for children 10 and older dealing with puberty and sex.

As of noon last Friday, the division had received at least 289emails and letters in response to the proposal.Of those, six supported the call to review the books.

Loud cheers and applause frequently punctuated the meeting, from audience members both in support and opposed to the proposal.

Several people in the audience cheered when People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier, who said he supports the call to remove the books, entered the gym. They were met with jeers and boos from other audience members.

There was little reaction when Bernier quietly left the meeting shortly before 9 p.m.

Security guards ejected one man from the meeting after a verbal argument with other audience members. The man had cut one of the signs withthe word "Don't" printed on it, and held up the halfwhich read "Do."

If you or someone you know is struggling, here's where to get help:

• Talk Suicide Canada: 1-833-456-4566 (phone) | 45645 (text between 4 p.m. and midnight ET).
• Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 (phone), live chat counselling on the website.
• Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention: Find a 24-hour crisis centre.
• Trans Lifeline:877-330-6366(phone, 5 p.m.-1 a.m. ET)A peer support line run by and for trans people, focused on providing community, support, and resources.

This guide from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health outlines how to talk about suicide with someone you're worried about.