Police called to Niagara Catholic School Board meeting amid Pride flag motion debate

Police were called into a gathering astatine the Niagara Catholic District School Board connected Tuesday arsenic assemblage members grew hostile portion the committee debated a question to prohibition the Pride emblem from schoolhouse properties, which was yet voted down.

The motion, introduced by trustee Natalia Benoit, would person amended the board’s emblem protocol to specify that the Pride emblem would not beryllium flown connected schoolhouse grounds oregon offices, citing the schools’ ngo to thatch students “within the discourse of Catholic values.”

“Flying the Pride emblem is perceived arsenic endorsing a peculiar societal oregon governmental stance that is not aligned with the teachings of the Catholic church,” the question read, adding that inclusivity could beryllium demonstrated “through different means,” specified arsenic anti-bullying initiatives.

Jennifer McArthur, president of the Niagara simple portion of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association, opposed the question astatine the meeting, saying the Pride emblem is simply a awesome of quality dignity.

“The Pride emblem reflects our content that each individuals are deserving of love, respect and the state to explicit their identity,” McArthur said successful her presumption to the board.

Board spokesperson Jennifer Pellegrini said astir 100 radical attended the meeting, “most of them successful enactment of trustee Benoit’s motion.”

McArthur’s code was disrupted erstwhile 1 idiosyncratic successful the assemblage repeatedly refused to halt signaling video erstwhile committee seat and trustee Danny Di Lorenzo asked them to. Others began jeering and shouting astatine the talker and trustees.

An assemblage subordinate was heard loudly questioning whether the Pride emblem was “God-approved” successful the Bible. Another yelled: “Shame connected you.”

In an interrogation Wednesday, Di Lorenzo said helium deemed Tuesday’s chaos “an unsafe environment,” prompting unit to inquire for information to measurement successful and for the nationalist assemblage to beryllium cleared. He said they past called Niagara constabulary for assistance.

The tensions successful the gathering were “totally uncalled for,” helium said, adding that the audience’s absorption was unexpected.

“The intent of this gathering was not for radical to travel and grandstand, and marque a constituent of it,” Di Lorenzo said. “It was to resoluteness an issue, to statement an contented and ballot connected it.”

In a statement, Niagara constabulary spokesperson Const. Philip Gavin confirmed officers were called to the country “to support the peace” and guarantee the information of everyone involved. He said determination were nary arrests oregon charges.

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The question was yet voted down 5-2 aft the gathering resumed. Benoit and trustee Joe Bruzzese, who voted successful favour of the motion, did not respond to requests for comment.

Di Lorenzo said Benoit had followed the close protocols erstwhile introducing the motion, arsenic was “her right” arsenic a trustee.

“I can’t responsibility her for bringing the question to the table,” Di Lorenzo said, noting that Benoit tin bring guardant the question again successful six months, if desired. “It’s the radical that supported her who should cognize they’re not doing her immoderate justness successful what they did.”

Benoit’s actions person antecedently prompted contention astatine the schoolhouse board. Earlier this year, the committee censured Benoit for six months aft an autarkic probe recovered she had breached the trustee codification of behaviour with comments comparing the Pride emblem to the Nazi emblem past year.

Di Lorenzo said moving guardant helium hopes the committee tin determination connected from the question and Tuesday’s events, adding it’s the students who should beryllium astatine the forefront of the conversation.

“Trustees decided 5 to 2 that flying the flag, successful this case, is what’s champion arsenic portion of their learning environment,” Di Lorenzo said. “We request to determination forward, and we request to recognize that our vigor needs to beryllium focused connected much things that straight impact the students.”