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Procedure

Procedure 9410.2 - Safe and Caring Schools: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity or Expression

1. 

DISTRICT RESPONSIBILITIES

1.1. 
Education is the primary purpose of the district. The educational programs in Surrey schools shall include curriculum topics and learning resources that reaffirm the inclusion of all members of our community regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. In addition, staff shall have resources and training available to help them promote the values of the district and its vision.
1.2. 
School District No. 36 (Surrey) shall provide direction and support to school administrators and workplace department managers to ensure that students and staff engage in appropriate behaviours and actions to prevent homophobic and or transphobic discrimination and harassment.
1.3. 
The district shall build greater awareness of and responsiveness to the harmful effects of isolation resulting from homophobic and or transphobic discrimination.
1.4. 
The district shall develop, promote and implement respectful and proactive strategies and measures to support students, staff and community members of all sexual orientations or gender identities.
1.5. 
The district shall establish consistent and widely understood and maintained school-based policies and practices to ensure that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning/Queer, Two Spirit (LGBTQ2S+) members of school communities and their families are welcomed, accepted and included in all aspects of education and school life.

2. 

CONDUCT

2.1. 
The district is committed to taking action when there is evidence of discrimination and harassment as a result of a person’s actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
2.2. 
Each school and district worksite’s code of conduct shall include statements that prohibit language or behaviour that degrades or incites hatred, prejudice, discrimination or harassment towards students or employees on the basis of their real or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression
2.3. 
All staff have the individual and collective responsibility to identify discriminatory attitudes and behaviours and strive to eliminate systemic inequities and barriers for students, staff and community members who identify themselves on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
2.4. 
All staff have an obligation to intervene in any interaction involving the use of homophobic and or transphobic statements, comments, and behaviours regardless of the speaker’s intentions, and to convey that such comments are against policy and will not be tolerated in the school/worksite community.
2.5. 
School/worksite guidelines and practices must include procedures through which individual or group-based complaints shall be effectively resolved and which specify any consequences of breaching district standards of conduct. The rights of LGBTQ2S+ students or employees must be respected if they choose to keep their sexual orientation or gender identity private.
2.6. 
The Anti-Discrimination & Human Rights and Safe and Caring Schools policies should be shared and reviewed annually as part of student and staff orientation to a school year and similar practices should be undertaken at all district sites.

3. 

CURRICULAR, LEARNING AND LIBRARY RESOURCES

3.1. 
Administrators shall actively support teachers striving to include in their teaching positive images and accurate information about history and culture which reflects the accomplishments and contributions of individuals and community members who are LGBTQ2S+.
3.2. 
Curricular, learning and library resources shall affirm human diversity as a fundamental component of our society.
3.3. 
Educational resources will be made available to teachers at all grade levels which are age appropriate and positively portray the lives of LGBTQ2S+ people.
3.4. 
Educational resources which aim to reduce and/or eliminate homophobia, transphobia and cis-gender/heterocentrism shall be made available to teachers at all grade levels.
3.5. 
Staff shall be available and accessible to support greater understanding and acceptance of LGBTQ2S+ people.
3.6. 
The district shall create or acquire appropriate, current and relevant learning resources for sexual health education (including LGBTQ2S+ issues) that strive to eliminate a cis-gender/heterocentric bias.
3.7. 
The district shall provide schools and worksites with welcoming and affirming images and messages for LGBTQ2S+ students and staff.
3.8. 
The district encourages the formation of Gay/Straight Alliance clubs (GSAs), where students or staff request this support. Elementary schools will encourage the development of social justice or diversity clubs to educate against all forms of discrimination/oppression and promote the understanding and acceptance of differences.
3.9. 
Teacher librarians shall be encouraged to examine their existing collections to restrict learning resources that contain homophobic and or transphobic bias as well as to consider this bias in any future purchasing of resources.

4. 

IN-SERVICE & EDUCATION

4.1. 
Counselling and support shall be available at all schools/worksites by ensuring that at least one member of staff is designated as a contact for students or staff who identify themselves on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. School administrators/site managers are responsible for informing students, parents and other staff about the location and availability of this contact person.
4.2. 
Training and resources shall be offered to those designated staff members and counsellors to be sensitive and respond knowledgeably to LGBTQ2S+ students as well as students with LGBTQ2S+ family members. Designated staff and counsellors shall receive training. The district shall establish an ongoing training schedule.
4.3.
All staff share the collective responsibility of creating safe and supportive learning environments for LGBTQ2S+ identified students and children from LGBTQ2S+ families. Therefore, all teaching and non-teaching staff shall be provided with opportunities for professional development on LGBTQ2S+ issues to build their capacity to teach and learn about these issues and to foster a dialogue that encourages respect and understanding.
4.4.
As part of each district worksite’s annual schedule, there will be a presentation on Policy #10900 – Anti-Discrimination & Human Rights and Policy #9410 – Safe and Caring Schools with a specific focus on creating safe and caring environments for all staff, students and community members regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
4.5. 
The district shall provide training to all new personnel as part of its employee orientation workshops. This training shall help to eliminate discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and will promote LGBTQ2S+ inclusivity. This training shall be reviewed annually by Human Resources.
4.6. 
On an annual basis, the district shall offer professional development targeted specifically to LGBTQ2S+ issues as taught through the Personal Health Education curriculum.

5. 

HOME, SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS

5.1. 
The district shall work to educate parents to prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and to promote the positive contributions of LGBTQ2S+ people within society.
5.2. 
The district shall encourage partnerships that promote effective participation in the education process by community organizations who are supportive of the LGBTQ2S+ issues and who are committed to the vision of the Surrey Board of Education.
5.3. 
The district shall acknowledge through its communications to students, staff, and the community that many students will identify as LGBTQ2S+ or live in LGBTQ2S+ families and shall be positively recognized and included as such at all grade levels.


Revised:2022-06-08
2020-10-05
Approved:2013-06-20

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