GREC Student Suspended For "There Are Only Two Genders” Shirt

May 08, 2024

A student was suspended, in late April, from Granite Ridge Education Centre in Sharbot Lake, for refusing to remove a t-shirt that said, “there are only two genders”.

The matter has been taken up by the streaming service of a website called LifeSiteNews, which  describes itself as  “a pro-life and pro-family streaming service.”

It has also been circulating on social media.

In the LifeSite report, the 16 year old boy said that he decided to wear the shirt in order to assert his beliefs.

During the interview, the boy said because it reflects his beliefs.

“I know that there are only two genders because my family consists of those two genders, so I wore a t-shirt that said so,” he told the host.

He said that half an hour into the school day he was called to the office and told by the Vice Principal of GREC, who was accompanied by a student counsellor, that he had to remove the shirt if he wanted to remain in school that day.

He refused.

The Vice-Principal then called the boy's mother, who also appeared on the LifeSiteNews segment, who said she was waiting by the phone in expectation of the call.

“I asked them why, why are you suspending him, and they said he can't wear a shirt like that. And I said why, and they said 'because it's hate speech' and I said but this is a factual statement, gender is binary, there are only two genders, and that is all.”

The host of the show, John-Henry Westen, then said “your school, it is a public school, right, they have LGBT posters right” and all three of them laughed as the mother said “I pointed that out to them”.

The boy then said “I said to them, you are not allowing me to express my opinion, as you stand in front of a BLM [Black Lives Matter] poster, and that is definitely your opinion.”

John-Henry Westen laughed again as he said “Oh, there was one in the office.”

The host and the two guests all then asserted that LGBT positive and BLM posters are “discrimination based on our religious beliefs” 

The boy was suspended but has since returned to school.

The Frontenac News approached the GREC administration for comment on the matter, and were referred to Scot Gillam, Superintendent of Curriculum & Program Services: Student Support Services & Indigenous Education.

In a written response, Superintendent Gillam released the following statement:

“The Limestone District School Board does not disclose information about specific student situations due to privacy considerations, but we can provide information regarding our commitment to creating equitable, inclusive, and accessible school and work climates that upholds the Ontario Human Rights Code.

The Limestone District School Board is guided by our obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code which provides protection against discrimination based on the enumerated grounds in the Code. However, the protection is not absolute and may be subject to limitations particularly when it infringes on the rights of others. In addition, the Ministry of Education in Ontario has taken significant steps to promote equity, inclusivity, and human rights within the education system.

Harassment, discrimination, and hate have no place in Limestone. In our schools, we do not tell students who they should be, but welcome them as they are. We do this by focusing on their academic learning and fostering feelings of belonging as expected in the Ontario curriculum and the Ontario Human Rights Code.

As an example, if someone has a sign or wears a shirt that very clearly makes a statement against the rights or existence of another group of people, it is very clearly a violation of the Ontario Human Rights Code. Someone’s point of view and freedom of expression do not trump someone else’s right to exist or their rights. The reality is that all students are welcome in Limestone schools, regardless of who they are. That being said, this does not mean that everyone can say or do what they want when it violates the human rights of others.

The Limestone District School Board stands with all staff, students, and families in protecting all grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code. The Code is the law in Ontario, and we have a collective moral and legal obligation to ensure that it is upheld in schools.

The Limestone District School Board supports student achievement and well-being and works hard to create inclusive spaces where every student feels valued, seen, and included.

(Editor's Note – The Frontenac News decided not to publish the names of the family that is involved in this incident, or a number of other assertions that have been made in the case that could not be independently verified. We did reach out the family through a crowdfunding site where they are raising money for any potential legal or other costs they may be facing, but have not heard back – for more on this, see the editorial “Gender Is A Social Construct”)