Pride flag to fly over Waterloo Catholic District School Board schools this June
Board chair says flying Pride flag a positive step forward
The Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) will fly the Pride flag for the first time this June.
The decision was announced during a board meeting Monday evening.
The board said the decision falls in line with its vision to create a "welcoming, safe and inclusive place for all, including the LGBTQ2+ community."
"Our Catholic schools are places where we educate young people to respect every person regardless of their differences," said director of education, Loretta Notten, in a statement.
The Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association Waterloo region office, the union which represents teachers employed by the WCDSB, said in a tweet that the decision was "a long time coming."
WCDSB confirms that the Pride flag will fly this year.....finally. This has been a long time coming and we are very happy that the flag will fly this June.
—@WaterlooOECTAIn 2020, the WCDSB received criticisms from the community for opting to fly a flag of its own design, rather than the traditional rainbow flag.
The design showed a group of multicoloured figures looking up at a figure of Jesus with the words, "We are all wonderfully made — we love because he first loved us."
Melanie Van Alphen, chair of the board, said in a statement she supports the decision to fly the Pride flag this June.
"We proudly support the decision to fly the Pride flag at all our schools in June. This is the right decision and a positive step forward," she said. "Kindness and unity are needed now more than ever."