Medicine Hat school boards react to Alberta premier’s transgender policy

“She’s really trying to make children the center of politics when children have every right to feel safe in their schools, when they meet with their doctors, with their communities.” Hoffman said.

“We should be protecting children and not have the government interfer in their health and in their wellbeing.” the Edmonton-Glenora MLA said.

“I want children and the trans community to know that I stand with them.”

Smith’s United Conservative government is imposing new rules and restrictions on youth changing their names or pronouns at school and getting hormone therapy or gender reassignment surgery for certain age groups.

The Medicine Hat Catholic School Board said that they did not receive notice before the announcement.

“We found out about it when everyone else did.” Superintendent Dr. Dwayne Zarichny said.

“We do have procedures where when sensitive topics are going to be talked about in class, that schools let parents know that teachers will be sharing information with students.” he said.

“In every school division, there typically is a policy or procedure that parents are notified when controversial topics, like sexual education, are being talked about, or any sensitive issues for that matter.”

In a statement, public school division Chair Catherine Wilson said that once they have seen the new government policies and supporting documents and have had time to to consider them, that they will be pleased to provide a statement.

The province will also be clamping down on transgender female athletes competing against women and girls in sport, and mandating parental consent for all sex education instruction in schools.

Smith argued in a news conference Thursday afternoon she aims to stop youth from making life-altering biological decisions before they are mature enough to do so.

Critics including LGBTQ+ advocates, worker organizations, the federal government and Alberta’s Opposition New Democrats maintain the changes are cruel and will further stigmatize and alienate transgender youth already facing abuse and high rates of suicide.

According to Chris Galloway from Friends of Medicare, medical professionals were not notified of the changes either.

Galloway stresses that the conversations between a physician and a patient should remain between a physician and a patient.

Galloway explained that the policies are discriminatory in nature, and is concerning for a health system already under strain.

“We think it’s dangerous.” Galloway said “It puts the lives of young Albertans at risk, their ability of care at risk and it shouldn’t be tolerated.”

“We think it’s a very dangerous precedent to have the premier deciding what care an Albertan can or can’t access with their doctor.” he explained.

“Those are decisions between patients and doctors regulated by medical colleges and other ways. They shouldn’t be up to politicians to make these sweeping decisions not based on evidence or health, but on politics and ideology.”

Smith said during the press conference that the policies, should they pass legislation, will be implemented in the fall.

She did not comment on if there would be penalties imposed on families or physicians breaking the guidelines or seeking treatment in other provinces.

— with files from Eli Ridder, Canadian Press

by Adrian St.Onge

Medicine Hat school boards react to Alberta premier’s transgender policy

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