The Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, assured Thursday that he was “obviously” aware of the existence of a guide from his ministry on taking into account sexual and gender diversity in the school network.
He rejected the criticism that his position on the subject of mixed toilets was inconsistent with the recommendations of this guide, created in 2021. “We were obviously aware of the existence of this guide,” his assistant said on Thursday. press, Florence Plourde. “But the minister said it: the reflection must go beyond the framework of schools. We will determine the parameters on this subject soon. »
Tuesday, the Minister of Education responded to a question on the issues of transidentity in the school network by declaring that he wanted to give himself “a framework”. “Now which [de cadre] ? We are considering this. But one thing is certain, we are looking at the best ways to answer these questions, which are extremely delicate,” he said.
During the week, Mr. Drainville opposed the conversion of boys’ and girls’ toilets into mixed toilets. “Could we, as I have seen in certain schools, designate an individual toilet and designate it a mixed toilet? Why not,” he said. He nevertheless judged that an Abitibi school which had transformed its toilets into a mixed toilet block had gone too far.
“Yes, we think that the school must indeed rectify the situation,” he judged.
A scientific committee
Bernard Drainville also announced on Wednesday the establishment of a scientific committee on transidentity. However, the general director of the Quebec LGBT Council, James Galantino, recalled that the Ministry of Education’s guide is the fruit of the work of several experts.
The minister’s position on mixed toilets “is not consistent [e] with its own government recommendations,” he also underlined in an interview with The duty. The guide in question identifies as an “appropriate administrative measure” the fact of “providing neutral places of privacy allowing the free choice of students and staff”.
Mr. Drainville considers that his position is consistent with that of his ministry. “The guide talks about “providing neutral places of privacy allowing the free choice of students and staff”. This is consistent with the minister’s position that there are already individual mixed toilets in many schools. This is a reasonable position that is respectful of all,” underlined his press secretary.