Niagara Catholic board votes to fly Rainbow Pride flag

For Immediate Release

Niagara Catholic board votes to fly Rainbow Pride flag

May 26, 2021 (Niagara region) – In a tight recorded vote by trustees, the Niagara Catholic District School Board last night agreed to fly the rainbow Pride flag at its administrative headquarters and secondary schools for one week in June this year.

“We congratulate the Catholic board on taking this beginning step,” said Celeste Turner, chair of OUTniagara, which connects and supports Niagara’s sexual- and gender-diverse communities. “2SLGBTQQIA+ students, staff, families, and visitors will see themselves visibly represented and included. Moreover, flying the flag will spark some much-needed conversations about inclusion and diversity.”

Catholic board trustees voted unanimously at its committee of the whole meeting on May 11 to direct Camillo Cipriano, Director of Education and Secretary to the board, to fly the rainbow Pride flag for the entire month of June starting in 2021. After significant and wide-ranging discussion last night, the board amended the motion so that the flag will only fly for one week, and this year only, until further community discussion takes place with the board’s stakeholders.

Once consultations take place, the board will raise and discuss the issue again before June 2022. Many trustees mentioned during the meeting that they had received a significant number of emails regarding the flag raising.

An OUTniagara letter was sent late last week, encouraging trustees to vote to fly the flag. It was co-signed by Quest Community Health Centre, Niagara Folk Arts Multicultural Centre, and the Niagara chapter of PFLAG Canada. Additional letters from Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates and the executive director of Niagara Falls Community Health Centre accompanied the OUTniagara letter.

“People who experience life under the rainbow umbrella and are also Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, and Transgender need in particular to know that they are safe and supported,” said the letter.

“Flying the rainbow flag would be a solid first signal to all students that they are valued. While important, it is a symbol, and hard and consistent work is required to ensure that in practice and policies, schools are indeed safe, inclusive and nurturing.”

OUTniagara and partners offered their assistance to the board in moving forward.