Caitlyn Russell said school became a safe haven for her as she discovered herself in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
The member of Dr. J.M. Denison Secondary School’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) found herself relying on a new 2SLGBTQIA+ guidance counsellor, colloquially known as gay guidance. The specialized position and hours were a great help, Russell said.
“This year has been tough. My whole life has fallen apart a little bit,” she said, adding the gay guidance “was there to help me pick up the pieces.”
But Russell and other students are protesting now that the position is being taken away. The teacher who fulfilled the role, part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community herself, has been reassigned, and the school has decided not to have a specialized guidance position for the community next year.
“The fact we’re getting that layer of support taken away … is really quite terrifying,“ Russell said. “I’m thinking about next year, and I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
The loss is prompting the school’s GSA to speak out. Members have been petitioning and meeting with school and board officials over the past several weeks, trying to get the position reinstated, but thus far, the students have not had success.
“I’ve heard from countless people how much it has helped, generally, their mental health and that it’s saved them,” said Bentley Parr, another GSA member. “It’s given them someone to talk to. It’s really helped me, because this year has been all over the place for me, mental health-wise.”
York Region District School Board corporate communications manager Christina Choo-Hum said she could not speak to individual staffing matters for privacy reasons, but added the board is committed to supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ students.
She said all of the board’s schools have access to the guidance department, student success teachers and staff advisers for GSAs. Students can also access the community care team’s social worker supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ students and other mental health resources through the board’s student services.
“As a school board, we remain committed to creating working and learning environments where our 2SLGBTQI+ students and staff can feel safe, welcomed and included,” she said. “Our mandate is to continuously improve student achievement and well-being and it is important that we take a proactive approach in creating identity-affirming and inclusive environments where our students and staff can be successful.”
The students said they faced similar responses from the board, with no specific explanations as to why the position, advertised and maintained from the start of the school year, was not continuing.
“We would like the board to actually respond,” student Kayla Fitzpatrick said, adding the 2SLGBTQIA+ community faces higher rates of mental health issues and suicide.
“It’s dangerous to give extra support to a community like that for a year and just take it away abruptly … I would just really like for them to acknowledge that they know the risks and they’re still making this decision.”
Student Mahad Waseem said having specialized guidance is important, both for the added time and because generalized guidance counsellors do not necessarily address 2SLGBTQIA+ issues as well.
He said the general guidance workers focus more on education matters like timetables.
The gay guidance “was a person we could trust, and she could build trust with us as individuals,” Waseem said.
“(She) wasn’t just another guidance counsellor. She was a person who worked hard, built trust and was willing to just listen.”
Students described the counsellor’s space as being filled with affirming messages and signs that helped create a positive environment.
“She made it a point to make us all feel welcomed into any space that she’s in,” Parr said.
Citing incidents of homophobia among students during Pride Month, the GSA students said they hope the school can still change course.
“The things that have happened in the halls and the classrooms throughout this month have been awful,” Russell said.
“They say we have all the support we need,” Fitzpatrick added. “It’s just another example of how they don’t actually understand the issue here. It’s just a really frustrating experience. I cannot be more disappointed in my school board.”
