Canada: High school banned from flying gay pride flag
A High School in the Canadian province of New Brunswick has banned students from flying a gay pride flag during pride week, because of a ban on “non-official flags on public property.”
Students at the Leo Hayes High School, which has flown the rainbow flag for the past two years, were told by Premier David Alward that they could not fly the flag.
In protest, they have begun a petition to the New Brunswick government to change the policy.
The Change.org petition, set up by Tianna Whelan, aims to “allow schools to raise the pride flag because the safety and acceptable of children should be placed at a higher importance than a law that was forgotten about for two years.”
“Flying the pride flag shows students, and the public, that the school is a safe and accepting place for everyone,” the petition continues.
The New Brunswick legislature flew the rainbow flag during the Sochi Olympics to support gay athletes, although some note that it took until the sixth day of the games to raise the flag.
“Government does not move at the fastest pace, that’s for sure,” said cabinet minister Craig Leonard at the time.
“But I think what’s important is that the flag is flying today in solidarity with the LGBT community, and certainly we as a government want to make sure that message is sent loud and clear that we appreciate the LGBT community in this province.”
The Fredericton City Hall is flying the flag, and Friday marks the end of pride week at the Leo Hayes school.
