Ontario Catholic School Board Votes Against Motion to Restrict Flags, Political Symbols at Schools

Third grade literacy instructor Katelyn Battinelli, speaks with students at Stark Elementary School in Stamford, Conn., on March 10, 2021. John Moore/Getty Images

Ontario’s Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) has voted down a motion to prohibit political symbols and signs from classrooms, including Pride flags.

The proposal was presented by trustee Conrad Stanley during the March 24 meeting and a vote was set for April 28. The motion sought to authorize only the flying of the Canadian and provincial flags at schools.

It said there was no need, or “reasonable justification, for any other international political or identity based flags to be flown which might confuse the all-encompassing, inclusive and fully representative natures of the Ontario and Canadian flags.”

The motion was voted down at this week’s meeting. The Epoch Times contacted the board for comment but did not hear back by publication time.

Submissions were received by WCDSB both supporting and opposing the motion, and included a letter from Kitchener resident Michael McKague, who expressed his support, citing the influence of his Christian faith.

McKague, a PhD candidate at the University of Waterloo, said the motion would level the playing field in banning all political symbols on flags, which can be prone to fostering division.

“I believe that it will help protect the well being of all students and staff from hate on either side of the political spectrum,” he wrote, noting that the motion presented “an opportunity to put an end to all divisive political symbols in our schools.”

The board meeting agenda also included a letter against the motion by Father Toby Collins, pastor of St. Mary Our Lady Of The Seven Sorrows in Kitchener.

He said the signs and symbols “protected and inspired these students during times in their lives when they were being treated unfairly and/or hurt badly for just trying to be themselves.”

Collins said not permitting the flags may send “the wrong message.”

“By taking away a symbol has been allowed to be present at the schools, we could risk taking some of the good things away that a symbol stands for which can make the students more venerable to poor and cruel behaviors,” he wrote.

Christine Bendia, a board employee who identifies as a transgender woman, also submitted a letter against the motion. Bendia described the Pride flag as “one of the most well-known symbols of inclusivity in our society, and its removal, after being proudly flown across the schools within our board for years, sends a clear message of intolerance.”

Ontario School Boards Ban Flag

Some Ontario school boards have voted in favour of prohibiting political and ideological symbols, including banning the Pride flag at school facilities.

The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board voted 10-1 in January against changing its flag policy to permit the Pride flag to be on display.

Its current policy was last changed in June 2024. It indicates that Pride flags were not permitted to fly on school flagpoles, however, it allows the flags to be displayed inside schools during Pride month.

It was the second time the board had voted against a motion to fly the Pride flag. The board also voted against letting non-government flags to be flown at schools in June 2024.

Ontario’s York Catholic District School Board also voted not to raise the flag for Pride Month in 2023.

Carolina Avendano contributed to this report.