Mission school district bans anti-LGBTQ group from presenting at meetings after graphic slideshow

Mission Public Schools has banned an anti-LGBTQ group from presenting at its meetings following an “inappropriate” presentation.

A B.C. school district has banned an anti-LGBTQ group from presenting at its meetings following an “inappropriate” presentation.

At a public meeting on Jan. 10, members from Action4Canada made a slideshow presentation over Zoom about SOGI, or sexual orientation and gender identity, that included images that were not previously shared with or approved by the Mission Public Schools board, according to the board.

Board chair Shelley Carter said the PowerPoint contained some graphic and “inappropriate” cartoon images. Carter said she asked the group to take the slides down, but they refused. Staff then had to turn the presentation off, according to Carter.

Carter said this was the first time the group made a presentation at a school board meeting. She told CTV News two RCMP officers were present at the most recent meeting on Feb. 21 in case Action4Canada members showed up.

During that meeting, a motion was brought forward by board trustee Randy Cairns. The ammended motion states that "the Board of Education declines to recognize any delegation from Action4Canada or its representatives to present in board meetings and board committee meetings for a period of one year."

Carter said Action4Canada’s mandate goes against the board’s focus of diversity, equity and inclusion. The group’s website makes various claims, including that “the LGBTQ have been hijacked by radical activists” and pornographic books are available in schools and libraries across the country.

“We just want to make sure our students, our staff, and our parents are feeling safe and comfortable at our meetings,” Carter said.

Following the board’s decision, Action4Canada posted a statement on its website calling the ban “intellectual fascism.”

Carter said Mission isn’t the only school board facing these challenges.

On Feb. 17, Mounties in Chilliwack investigated a claim that child pornography was being made available in public school libraries. The RCMP issued a news release saying a complaint was received on Feb. 17 and that an investigator from the Serious Crime Unit was assigned to the case.

After reviewing the "publications containing the most concerning material identified by the complainant," the officer determined that none of the materials were child pornography, as defined by the Criminal Code of Canada.