Open letter to Catholic school boards: “let your people speak” on GSAs

An assistant professor at the University of Alberta is hoping to break the silence in the province’s Catholic school boards when it comes to allowing students to form gay-straight alliances.

Dr. Kristopher Wells, with the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies, has written an open letter to upper level officials.

“What we’re asking is for that curtain of science to be lifted,” he said. “We certainly have seen the pastoral letters from the bishops in Edmonton and Calgary but our democratically elected trustees have yet to speak and talk about how they understand GSAs and if they’ll support them.”

Last month, a Leger poll claimed four out of five Alberta Catholics are not opposed to having gay-straight alliances in school.

“They can’t bring the issues forward out of fear for precautions and certainly the premier has promised consultation and we feel like democratically elected trustees should be part of that consultation, and we should be hearing from them, that’s their jobs,” he said.

Wells added he would like to see trustees call for legislation of GSAs in schools wherever students want them.

The Calgary Catholic School Board has not yet publicly responded to the open letter but has stated in the past, there is support in the schools for all students, regardless of sexual orientation.

The specifically labelled clubs have not been welcomed.