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Discussion largely focused on the rainbow flag, a symbol of the LGBTQ community. But various flags will now be prohibited from indoor display, including those celebrating different cultures and marking particular observances. An Elmer the Safety Elephant flag isn’t allowed, nor is a French flag in a French class, and even the Vatican flag is off limits.

Trustees also upheld part of the policy preventing the rainbow flag from being flown outside the main administrative office during Pride month in June.

The move comes amid ongoing culture wars in both Canada and the United States, where President Donald Trump recently ended policies that supported racial equity and LGBTQ rights. Here, protests over pronouns and LGBTQ rights have sparked clashes outside of public schools between opposing groups, fueling debates about the role of school boards in teaching gender issues, often framed around parental rights.

The Tuesday night board meeting drew a raucous crowd of roughly 200, some clutching crucifixes and holding signs such as “Leave Our Kids Alone” and “No to Gender Bending Indoctrination,” while others donned buttons with the rainbow flag. About a dozen delegates spoke, including a representative of Cardinal Francis Leo, who argued that the cross is the most powerful symbol of inclusion, and Canada’s first openly gay premier, Kathleen Wynne, who said flying the Pride flag signals to LGBTQ youth that the school board is a safe space.

Father Marcin Serwin, who appeared on behalf of the Archdiocese of º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøand Cardinal Leo, said the symbol that best represents the Catholic faith, and the inclusion and acceptance of others, is the cross, which is at the entrance of every Catholic school. 

“The absolutely absurd suggestion that unless one embraces secular symbols, one cannot be inclusive or accepting, is simply not true,” said Serwin.

He noted that cases of injustice and mistreatment of any student — if they’re bullied or rejected because of their sexual orientation, appearance, race or sex — must be addressed. He concluded by reminding trustees that parents of kids in Catholic schools expect decision-makers to ensure Catholic teaching is presented, including in the symbols it portrays.

“There are times when the presentation of Catholic teachings clashes with the views held in society. That’s Ok.” 

However, Wynne, the former Ontario premier, said allowing the Pride flag signals to LGBTQ students that they are “seen, heard and loved in the face of anger and bullying,” noting they’re at greater risk than their peers of mental health concerns or dying by suicide.

Wynne, who’s also a former education minister, said she felt compelled to speak out, because “We’re at a moment in our society where there is a new permission for exclusion,” which she attributes, in part, to Trump.

Since taking office last week, Trump has signed a series of executive orders, including ones aimed at dismantling Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives — the  says it will now prioritize learning over divisive ideology in schools — and one proclaiming the federal government will only recognize two sexes: male and female.

Meanwhile, the calling on the province to implement mandatory equity, diversity and anti-racism certification for Ontario teachers, eliciting on other districts.

In an interview with the Star, Wynne said the rise in “hateful behaviours” since Trump was first elected in 2016, has given “a new permission for misogyny, homophobia and racism.” And with his re-election, “we’re seeing a very explicit and intentional move away from the inclusion that we’ve achieved as a society.”

She questioned why a board that used to support flying the flag no longer finds it acceptable — in 2021, trustees voted in favour of flying the Pride flag outside the main office during June. But in June 2024, they amended the policy, which now prohibits that.

“The fact that we’re seeing a board move back from a position that it took — a position of inclusion — and most of the trustees supported the flying of the flag and now they’ve been convinced not to. That, to me, is a sign that we’re into some territory where people are feeling bullied.”

After being amended last June, the current flag policy now says a building with one flagpole must fly the Canadian flag; with a second pole must have the provincial flag; and with a third must have a flag representing the board. (Just three board sites have three flag poles.) On Tuesday, the Indigenous student trustee requested the third flagpole be permitted to also fly the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation flag and/or the Every Child Matters flag during observance periods, but that was voted down.

In past years, there were no restrictions on flags inside schools. Then last June, new language was added to the policy, stating flags could only be displayed in support of particular observances and would need to be come down when the observance period ends — this meant rainbow flags could only be displayed in June.

On Tuesday, Trustee Paula Dametto-Giovannozzi moved a motion to remove that language, clarifying the only flags allowed inside are of the nation, provinces, territories and board. 

Trustee Brea Corbet said that would adversely impact Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQ students, calling it “very, very harmful.”

“That would make this policy even more regressive, even more oppressive,” said Corbet. “It would promote exclusion, more bullying and more negatively impact our school climates.” 

The motion passed nine to one. Corbet was the only elected trustee to vote against it. Three student trustees were also opposed, but their votes don’t count.