B.C. Parent Advisory Councils voice support for SOGI in face of protests

A dozen District Parent Advisory Councils from around B.C. have signed onto a public statement supporting the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity in education, as marches calling for the end of such inclusion unfolded across the province Wednesday.

The statement's signatories include DPACs from 12 school districts, including several where iterations of the "1 Million March 4 Children" were taking place.

The marches advocate for "the elimination of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) curriculum, pronouns, gender ideology and mixed bathrooms in schools," according to organizers, who describe themselves as marching "to protect our children from indoctrination and sexualization."

Notably, in B.C., SOGI is not its own curriculum. Rather, it is "one aspect of diversity that is embedded across a range of grades and subject areas," according to the SOGI 123 website. 

"As BC DPACs, we stand with our children, parents, and caregivers to support and recognize the diverse culture in our schools and our society," reads the DPACs' statement, which is titled "No space for hate in our schools."

"We believe SOGI-inclusive education reflects diversity including the acknowledgment of multiple genders and sexualities, which plays a pivotal role in educating our students about the world they inhabit."

Though it doesn't directly name the march or its organizers, the DPACs' statement says "some groups have been disseminating misinformation." By doing so, the councils argue, those groups are contributing to the neglect of other important issues facing children in British Columbia.

Those areas include child-care affordability, seismic upgrades and new school construction, technology upgrades and "access to healthy, plentiful food," according to the statement.

"We would urge everyone to learn more about the current B.C. education curriculum and understand why it is crucial that sexual orientation and gender identity is part of public education," the statement reads.

"We also recognize that trans and gender diverse people have always been part of society, and that 2SLGBTQIA+ represents a vital facet of the beautiful mosaic that constitutes the human experience."

Signatories of the statement include the DPACs from the Vancouver, Central Okanagan, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Kamloops-Thompson, Surrey, Victoria, Vernon, Langley, Nanaimo-Ladysmith, Sooke and Prince George school systems.

"On a day when our children will see a lot of hate in the media and the world around them, we encourage our communities to show love and express your unwavering support for inclusivity within our schools," the statement concludes.