Debate over SOGI education sparks protest in Fort St. John [Video]

FORT ST. JOHN –The debate over Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) education in schools took to the streets of Fort St. John today.

Protestors gathered to challenge SOGI education in schools across the Peace Region, with over a dozen residents making their way from City Hall to Centennial Park, waving flags and holding signs that read, “Leave our kids alone,” “No more SOGI,” and “We love LGBT people, but SOGI hurts kids,” among other statements.

They expressed a desire for parents to have more choice regarding what children are taught about sexual identity in schools and ‘ideologies’ surrounding the curriculum.

Many believe that a 2016 policy, signed by then-Education Minister Mike Bernier, which includes explicit references to sexual orientation and gender identity, leads to confusion among younger students.

In a related Facebook postdated September 11th, Bernier stated, “We updated school policies 8 years ago to align with the law and Human Rights Code. What I brought in was anti-bullying policies to …