School forbids students from doing gay rights project

A Catholic school in Canada has been criticised by parents after it banned two students from doing a project on gay rights.

Quinn Maloney-Tavares, 11 and Polly Hamilton, 11 – both students at St. George’s Catholic School in Ottawa – chose to research gay rights when their class was tasked with creating a project on social justice.

After word of the project reached Principal Ann Beauchamp, she told the students that they needed to find a more appropriate subject matter, allegedly telling their parents that she “felt very strongly about her decision” and admitting that she was nervous of the criticism she might face from some of the more right-wing parents at the school.

The two students went on to protest the ban by painting small rainbow flags on their hands and wearing two rainbow colours to to school, which later caught on with several other classmates.

“A lot of people, they don’t know they’re being rude, but they make being gay a bad thing,” the 11-year-old’s told The Ottawa Citizen.”They need to know that it’s not a bad thing.”

In response to the criticism, the school board released a statement defending Beauchamp’s decision, arguing that a gay rights project would not have been appropriate for younger students.

“The principal’s decision was made in this context and with the understanding that the project was going to be presented to younger students,” said the spokesman. “Our board’s focus on equity and family life programs ensures students are taught within the context of our faith, with a focus on the dignity of personhood.”

Meanwhile, this week a school in Ireland was forced to apologise for worksheet that labelled gays ‘perverts’ – find out more here.

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