After an intense debate, Hanover school trustees defeated a motion to reverse a decision they made a couple of years ago regarding inclusive education of sensitive issues for Grade 7 students. 

Trustee Shayne Barkman made the motion, which was Seconded by Trustee Dallas Wiebe, ‘that HSD teaches the Grade 7 sensitive issues the same way it was taught prior to school year 2020-2021.’  

While offering justification for bringing this forward, Barkman said he heard from parents while he was campaigning door-to-door that they preferred the former way of teaching this information, with boys in a separate classroom from the girls. 

“Because it was taught in a way that was more respectful to all students who attended as well as to all teachers who had to teach it," said Barkman. 

Grade 7 students are currently not separated by gender for this class. 

Danielle Funk expressed confusion about the timeline of concerns coming from parents during the election campaign, noting that the division only started the inclusive format after the election.  

Her comment was supported by Superintendent and CEO Shelley Amos, who noted that principals requested a more inclusive way of teaching this information. 

“Because we have students who are not identifying as biologically male or biologically female, and they need an option,” Amos shared with the board. 

She noted that trustees agreed to have Grade 7 students learn this information in their homeroom with their teacher who knows them best. 

Parents can elect to have their child opt out of the course, however, Amos pointed out that last year, the first year of implementation, only 41 students out of 574 had chosen not to be part of these classes. 

“So, the vast majority attended with the groupings as we had arranged last year,” she said. 

Trustee Charmaine Toews then noted that trustees had discussed this topic “at length” with their senior administration team just over a year ago. 

“This motion suggests we go back and undo all the work we did as a board to come to a consensus last year on all matters related to sensitive issues in our school division,” she said. “By going back on our decision, we are saying that we did not take the time or care to make sure we are best serving all the students in the school division. I believe the current system in place is well thought out, and the attendance of most students last year suggests that the majority of parents are also comfortable with the current format. 

“Schools are already in preparation for delivering the curriculum and a last-minute change will cause unnecessary stress and concern for everyone involved,” Toews said. “I will not support this motion for all these reasons, and I believe our board has already done good work on this topic and needs to stand by our decisions.” 

Wiebe then spoke about the number of Grade 7 students who had opted out of the sensitive issues education last year in Hanover schools. 

“We’re committed to being equitable and it may not necessarily just focus on the majority of people who had gone and had no problem with it,” he said. “There are still a substantial, or at least an amount of people that are still affected by this, obviously, which is why this has been brought forward.” 

Wiebe concluded his comments by saying, “I think it’s important to recognize that we’re coming together as a board and working together on things, we should at least put an effort in to do it for all the groups that are in the division.” 

The discussion continued to focus on the number of students who opted out of these classes last year, with Funk responding to Wiebe’s comments. 

“I believe the number that Shelley presented, of students who opted out, is a similar number to previous years,” stated Funk. “Not a substantial change but I believe that is what our admin previously told us.” 

Regarding Wiebe’s suggestion that the board make decisions that are respectful of all groups in the division, Funk noted the trustees agreed last year that the current format is the most respectful way to teach this information, by having a team of educators to teach the class, by having students who are familiar with each other grouped together, by allowing students an option to privately submit questions that are addressed in the following class. 

Funk also stated that the current format removes discrimination as students no longer are forced into a classroom of only girls or only boys. 

"You say you want to be respectful of all students, not necessarily just the majority, but that is what we decided as a group, that this would be the most respectful for the most amount of students,” said Funk. 

She continued by saying the board and administration put in many hours to reach the decision to move forward with the current inclusive format. 

“And to reverse it after one year is just ludicrous,” Funk concluded. 

Trustee Ron Falk then asked Wiebe to clarify his comments. 

“When we’re talking about all students and respecting all students in the division, and when we talk about being committed to equity, we’re not just looking at the rights of only the majority,” Wiebe said. “The rights of each people group as defined in the Human Rights Code have to be looked at. I believe there’s 13 different groups there. Yes, we could pick one group and say let's focus on the rights for this group and let's do that. And I think it's commendable to do that, but at some point, you have to pick and choose whose rights are going to be honoured here and whose are going to not be honoured. And I think that’s the trouble that we find ourselves in because in all the efforts of trying to be inclusive somebody is going to be excluded.” 

At the end of the discussion, the motion was defeated, meaning there will be no change to the inclusive format used in Hanover schools to teach Sensitive Issues to Grade 7 students. Trustees Shayne Barkman, Lynn Barkman, Jeff Friesen and Dallas Wiebe voted in favour of the motion. Trustees Ron Falk, Charmaine Toews, Danielle Funk, Cheryl Froese, and Brad Unger voted against the motion. 

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