A school in rural Saskatchewan is under fire for its handling of female changing room access for Grade 7 students.Parents and politicians are speaking out against Balgonie Elementary School allowing two biological males identifying as female to use the changing room facilities matching their gender identity.The controversy began in early September when a Grade 7 female student told her parents she felt uncomfortable changing for gym class. Two students who were born male but identified as female were using the girls changing room..EXCLUSIVE: Sask school under fire for lesbian sex pamphlet promoting sado masochism, fisting.The concerned parents said their daughter was upset by the biological males in the girls' changing room and told their daughter to speak with the principal or vice-principal about the situation."The principal told my daughter that if she felt uncomfortable, then she can change in a different room by herself," said the parent, who asked to remain anonymous.Unhappy with this response, the parent contacted school and government officials. He emailed the principal, Premier Scott Moe, the school board, and the superintendent of Prairie Valley School Division (PVSD).After two weeks of what the parent called "auto-responding with legal policies and procedures," he met with the superintendent and a board member."It went exactly as I thought," said the parent. "All they said was they have done what they need to do according to the human rights and charter of rights and freedoms."The parent claimed officials told him his daughter's rights do not take priority over other students' rights..Sask parents outraged after sexually explicit video shown to elementary school kids.In a September 24 email to school officials, the parent expressed his frustration."So, in short, you're saying if there's biological males that identify as females in the school, then our biological females have no more rights? Cause that's what it seems like," he wrote.He added that since the incident, his daughter and other students have stopped changing for gym class."This is not acceptable," he wrote. "Do you have kids? And would you let this go on if it were to happen to them? I highly doubt it."He also took issue with an email from Vice-Principal Sarah Slwyka stating, "Students are expected to use the change room in an appropriate manner.""Correct me if I'm wrong," he said."But since when is it appropriate to expose my 12-year-old daughter along with all the other biological females in that class to penis?"He accused school officials of "pretending this is ok just to save your jobs" and suggested that students of "new genders" should use the gender-neutral facilities..Sask political leaders react to lesbian sex pamphlet in school promoting sado masochism."PVSD would rather subject 165 females to feeling uncomfortable rather than request the two biological males that they use the gender-neutral facilities allocated to them," he wrote.PVSD's learning superintendent Lorrie Anne Harkness replied to the parent on September 24 and defended the school's actions."We understand that you may not agree with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, federal and provincial human rights information, school and school division policies or procedures that we have shared with you,” wrote Harkness.“However, we are required to operate within those parameters and to protect the human rights of all students and employees."Harkness said the school would work with students who do not want to change in the female changing room to "choose a changeroom that meets their needs. However, their choice cannot supersede or interfere with the rights of other students."Harkness stated the PVSD would not discuss the rights of other students any further..Free menstrual products for ‘identifying as female’ students at Sask post-secondary schools.Minister of Education Jeremy Cockrill answered the Western Standard’s question about parents' concerns at Balgonie Elementary School.“Every student has the right to feel safe, and every parent has the right to know their child is safe,” said Cockrill.“This is a school that is operated by the school division with locally-elected trustees and it would be the expectation of the parents and the Minister that the school division has a policy stating students of one biological gender are not permitted in changerooms designated for the other biological gender.”“If these policies are not in place at the local school division level, a re-elected Saskatchewan Party would ensure that all public, separate, francophone, and independent schools in the province have policies in place to ensure that change rooms are safe and private places,” said Cockrill..Sask Court of Appeal reviews Parents Bill of Rights after hearing from 11 groups.Phil Zajac, leader of the Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan, told the Western Standard that the situation was "unreal.""When you enter a school, no matter what level or type, you are a student,” said Zajac.“There is only male or female and if you choose to classify yourself as something else, then you should find an alternative method of education. Creating division among students is unacceptable and our education system is a community. Decisions like this one cause confusion among young students and are a cause of duress and mental health issues. It needs to stop.”PVSD serves over 8,000 students in 39 schools east and southeast of Regina. Balgonie, where the elementary school is located, is a town of about 1,800 people 25 kilometres east of Regina..Saskatchewan Teachers, NDP criticize ‘private school’ funding.For now, the school division is standing by its policy. However, with emotions running high on all sides, this issue will unlikely be resolved soon.The controversy at Balgonie Elementary School reflects a larger societal discussion about gender identity, privacy, and student rights. The Western Standard contacted PVSD's learning superintendent Lorrie Anne Harkness and Sask United leader Jon Hromek. As of the time of publication, we have not received a response.
A school in rural Saskatchewan is under fire for its handling of female changing room access for Grade 7 students.Parents and politicians are speaking out against Balgonie Elementary School allowing two biological males identifying as female to use the changing room facilities matching their gender identity.The controversy began in early September when a Grade 7 female student told her parents she felt uncomfortable changing for gym class. Two students who were born male but identified as female were using the girls changing room..EXCLUSIVE: Sask school under fire for lesbian sex pamphlet promoting sado masochism, fisting.The concerned parents said their daughter was upset by the biological males in the girls' changing room and told their daughter to speak with the principal or vice-principal about the situation."The principal told my daughter that if she felt uncomfortable, then she can change in a different room by herself," said the parent, who asked to remain anonymous.Unhappy with this response, the parent contacted school and government officials. He emailed the principal, Premier Scott Moe, the school board, and the superintendent of Prairie Valley School Division (PVSD).After two weeks of what the parent called "auto-responding with legal policies and procedures," he met with the superintendent and a board member."It went exactly as I thought," said the parent. "All they said was they have done what they need to do according to the human rights and charter of rights and freedoms."The parent claimed officials told him his daughter's rights do not take priority over other students' rights..Sask parents outraged after sexually explicit video shown to elementary school kids.In a September 24 email to school officials, the parent expressed his frustration."So, in short, you're saying if there's biological males that identify as females in the school, then our biological females have no more rights? Cause that's what it seems like," he wrote.He added that since the incident, his daughter and other students have stopped changing for gym class."This is not acceptable," he wrote. "Do you have kids? And would you let this go on if it were to happen to them? I highly doubt it."He also took issue with an email from Vice-Principal Sarah Slwyka stating, "Students are expected to use the change room in an appropriate manner.""Correct me if I'm wrong," he said."But since when is it appropriate to expose my 12-year-old daughter along with all the other biological females in that class to penis?"He accused school officials of "pretending this is ok just to save your jobs" and suggested that students of "new genders" should use the gender-neutral facilities..Sask political leaders react to lesbian sex pamphlet in school promoting sado masochism."PVSD would rather subject 165 females to feeling uncomfortable rather than request the two biological males that they use the gender-neutral facilities allocated to them," he wrote.PVSD's learning superintendent Lorrie Anne Harkness replied to the parent on September 24 and defended the school's actions."We understand that you may not agree with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, federal and provincial human rights information, school and school division policies or procedures that we have shared with you,” wrote Harkness.“However, we are required to operate within those parameters and to protect the human rights of all students and employees."Harkness said the school would work with students who do not want to change in the female changing room to "choose a changeroom that meets their needs. However, their choice cannot supersede or interfere with the rights of other students."Harkness stated the PVSD would not discuss the rights of other students any further..Free menstrual products for ‘identifying as female’ students at Sask post-secondary schools.Minister of Education Jeremy Cockrill answered the Western Standard’s question about parents' concerns at Balgonie Elementary School.“Every student has the right to feel safe, and every parent has the right to know their child is safe,” said Cockrill.“This is a school that is operated by the school division with locally-elected trustees and it would be the expectation of the parents and the Minister that the school division has a policy stating students of one biological gender are not permitted in changerooms designated for the other biological gender.”“If these policies are not in place at the local school division level, a re-elected Saskatchewan Party would ensure that all public, separate, francophone, and independent schools in the province have policies in place to ensure that change rooms are safe and private places,” said Cockrill..Sask Court of Appeal reviews Parents Bill of Rights after hearing from 11 groups.Phil Zajac, leader of the Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan, told the Western Standard that the situation was "unreal.""When you enter a school, no matter what level or type, you are a student,” said Zajac.“There is only male or female and if you choose to classify yourself as something else, then you should find an alternative method of education. Creating division among students is unacceptable and our education system is a community. Decisions like this one cause confusion among young students and are a cause of duress and mental health issues. It needs to stop.”PVSD serves over 8,000 students in 39 schools east and southeast of Regina. Balgonie, where the elementary school is located, is a town of about 1,800 people 25 kilometres east of Regina..Saskatchewan Teachers, NDP criticize ‘private school’ funding.For now, the school division is standing by its policy. However, with emotions running high on all sides, this issue will unlikely be resolved soon.The controversy at Balgonie Elementary School reflects a larger societal discussion about gender identity, privacy, and student rights. The Western Standard contacted PVSD's learning superintendent Lorrie Anne Harkness and Sask United leader Jon Hromek. As of the time of publication, we have not received a response.
