WCDSB appoints new chair, crowd gathers to protest potential Pride flag ban

Inside the Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) headquarters on Monday, Kitchener/Wilmot Trustee Renee Kraft was appointed to the vacant chair seat.

Outside, opposing groups of people were at odds over whether or not flags, specifically Pride flags, should be allowed to fly at Waterloo Region catholic schools.

The protest and counter-protest were in response to a motion tabled by WCDSB Trustee Conrad Stanley, which would ban flags and political symbols at schools, except for the flags of Ontario and Canada.

In his motion, Stanley points to alleged ongoing complaints, protests, and delegations from Catholic school parents and residents, urging the board to change its policies to ban all political and identity-based flags.

Religious symbols that aren’t political in nature would be exempt from the adjusted policy, and staff would have the ability to use discretion and judgment guided by Catholic teachings in decisions to remove flags and symbols.

Kraft’s appointment to board chair comes after the former chair, Robert Sikora, suddenly stepped down from the position at the end of March.

Sikora was in the role for approximately 1.5 years, and his tenure included two successful election campaigns. The WCDSB has offered no reason for Sikora’s departure, though he is reportedly set to continue serving the school board as a trustee.

Kraft will chair her first board meeting on April 28, when Stanley’s tabled motion is set to be discussed.

Since it’s introduction, the motion has been met with opposition from local Pride groups and politicians, including Kitchener-Centre MPP Aislinn Clancy and Waterloo MPP Catherine Fife.

“This motion is homophobic and transphobic and an overreach of power by an unelected trustee. Our schools should be inclusive of everyone,” said Clancy in a press release.

A group of protesters gathered at WCDSB headquarters at 35 Weber St. in Kitchener on Monday afternoon, draped in Pride flags and colourful signs.

Counter-protesters gathered in opposition of the group and held signs with messages including “Yes to Jesus, No to Pride” and “Make Catholic Schools Catholic Again.”

Local Pride group Spectrum Waterloo Region is calling on Kraft to remove Stanley’s motion altogether.