Everyday Politics with Laura Mae Lindo

The Pride Flag Debate - Part 2

Laura Mae is joined by Greg Cinti, a teacher in the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, to discuss education and what it means to be inclusive.

Additional Resources:

WCDSB Committee of the Whole Meeting: April 14, 2025
https://www.wcdsb.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2025/04/2025-04-14_ COW_Agenda.pdf

Celebrating Pride Month - MDCSS (Flag Raising Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwD2v6PiBBg

Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Strategic Focus Areas:
- The OHRC explains that, “We will concentrate our proactive efforts on four strategic focus areas.” Notably (a) Reconciliation is a strategic focus and, (b) under “Education” they describe the focus as follows: “Promote and strengthen a human rights culture in Ontario that encompasses both rights and responsibilities, with a special focus on educating children and youth and addressing systemic discrimination in our education system.”
- About the OHRC: https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/about-us/who-we-are
- Strategic Focus Areas: https://www3.ohrc.on.ca/en/strategic-focus-areas
Celebration of Expression on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celebrationofexpression?igsh=NmY4YXplbnozaWUx
Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB): March 24, 2025 Agenda
- This meeting Agenda includes the Motion as well as transcribed delegations regarding the Notice of Motion.
- https://www.wcdsb.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2025/03/2025-03-24_Board-of-Trustee-Agenda.pdf

Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB): Important Message from Chair of the Board & Director of Education (June 30, 2023)
- “We are saddened by the act of hate that unfolded at the University of Waterloo on Wednesday, June 28, 2023.

Our prayers go to the victims of this Homophobic and Transphobic attack and to the entire 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Events such as this remind us that learning institutions everywhere need to be places that promote inclusivity and acceptance, and are safe spaces for all.

In solidarity with the University of Waterloo and the entire 2SLGBTQIA+ community — both here in Waterloo Region and around the world — the Waterloo Catholic District School Board will continue to fly the Pride Flag at the Catholic Education Centre until the end of the day on July 6^th.”

https://www.wcdsb.ca/important-message-from-the-chair-of-the-board-director-of-education/

CityNews: MPPs question why banning Pride flags are a priority for Catholic board (Justine Fraser, March 24, 2025):
- https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2025/03/24/waterloo-catholic-school-board-pride-flag-ban/

Petition: Urge the Waterloo Catholic District School Board to Retain Pride and BLM Flags in School:
- https://www.change.org/p/urge-the-waterloo-catholic-district-school-board-to-retain-pride-and-blm-flags-in-schools?recruiter=1368816231&recruited_by_id=ef0978d0-0585-11f0-b563-ed30896b89d2&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_medium=twitter

CTV News: Catholic school boar trustee proposes ban on almost all flags, including Pride and Progress symbols (Shelby Knox & Jeff Pickel, March 25, 2025)
- https://www.ctvnews.ca/kitchener/article/catholic-school-board-trustee-proposes-ban-on-almost-all-flags-including-pride-and-progress-symbols/

History of the Pride Flag discussion at the WCDSB

2019 - Student petition to fly the PRIDE flag

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/waterloo-students-petition-catholic-school-board-to-fly-pride-flag-1.5171259

May 2020 - Director Notten decided they would raise an “alternate” PRIDE flag that year

Much public pushback
Discussion around the Pride Flag began when a St David Student started a petition
Director at the time introduced an alternate flag and indicated it would fly that June
Due to much public pushback and some trustee pushback she decided not to fly a flag that year

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/waterloo-region-catholic-board-pride-flag-1.5588818

https://www.waterloochronicle.ca/opinion/fly-the-right-flag-in-waterloo-region/article_b4b5697f-a0f4-54e4-9427-bd5e8035aa7a.html

June 2021 - Actual PRIDE flag raised for the first time

After a year of full consultations and support by the trustees Director Notten made the decision to raise the PRIDE flag that June

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/pride-flag-raised-waterloo-catholic-district-school-board-1.6048556

March 2025 - Trustee Stanely has proposed a motion to remove the PRIDE flag and all symbols from schools, inside and outside.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/kitchener/article/catholic-school-board-trustee-proposes-ban-on-almost-all-flags-including-pride-and-progress-symbols/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/waterloo-catholic-school-board-flag-motion-pride-p

Everyday Politics with Laura Mae Lindo

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Laura Mae Lindo

Dr. Laura Mae Lindo (she/her/elle) is a respected activist, educator, and former politician who holds both a Masters and PhD in Education. Dr. Lindo is a knowledgeable advocate for the rights of womxn and girls, a respected ally to vulnerable communities, and, most importantly, a courageous public speaker, ready, willing, and able to speak to issues often left unaddressed. Dr. Lindo has worked at Toronto Metropolitan University in the Diversity Institute as well as lectured at St. Francis Xavier University (Antigonish, Nova Scotia), the University of Prince Edward Island (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island), York University (Toronto, Ontario), and Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo, Ontario). A former Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener Centre and Ontario’s Official Opposition Critic for Anti-Racism and Equity as well as Colleges and Universities and Citizenship and Immigration, Dr. Lindo was the inaugural Chair of Ontario’s first Black Caucus. She is currently an Assistant Professor in Philosophy at the University of Waterloo (Waterloo, Ontario) and Founder and Director of the e(RACE)r Institute where she continues to put anti-racist theory into practice.