education: Surrey excludes same-sex books again
Stephen Hui, News Editor

The Surrey school board has upheld its ban on three books depicting same-sex relationships.

Trustees rejected the addition of the books to School District 36's recommended learning resources list for kindergarten and grade one, first in 1997 and again last Thursday. The Supreme Court of Canada had ordered the school board to reconsider the books because religious objections had formed a significant basis for its original decision.

The board said its move to exclude Asha's Mums, Belinda's Bouquet, and One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dads was based on an extensive set of criteria. Trustees cited numerous justifications for excluding the books from the curriculum at the meeting.

"Asha's Mums depicts the teacher as either incompetent or naïve and is an unfair or inaccurate depiction of an important role model in a school," said trustee Kim Evoy, who voted to reject the three books.

"This book covertly attempts to persuade children that their families' religious beliefs are wrong," said Heather Stilwell, another trustee who voted against the books. "This is a psychotherapeutic method of not just inducing cognitive dissonance, but ventures into the area of brainwashing."

Trustee Laurae McNally, however, told the meeting that Asha's Mums was appropriate for the classroom.

"It would provide an opportunity to talk about different family structures," said McNally, who along with Terry Allen voted in favour of accepting all of the books.

People attending the meeting had conflicting reactions to the school board's decision.

Surrey parents Lorelei Sobolik and Jama Ali were pleased that the books would be staying out of the classroom.

"It means that parental rights are not being overridden," Sobolik said.

"It's inappropriate," Ali said. "Let them teach it at home."

Michelle Walks, a recent sociology and anthropology graduate of Simon Fraser University and volunteer at Out on Campus, was surprised and disappointed by the decision.

"That they're talking about how the books are going to increase homophobia in the classroom or increase bashing of diversity is absolutely ridiculous," said Walks, who lives in Surrey.

Angela Ma, an environmental science student at SFU, criticised sentiment expressed at the meeting that it is not appropriate for kindergarten and grade one students to be learning about gay and lesbian relationships.

"Tolerance is something that is appropriate to the age - regardless of which age you belong to," Ma said.

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