A Parent of Waterloo Region Reports Sexualized Content to Campaign Life Coalition
WARNING: Some of the following details contain explicit content and is not suitable for children.
A couple of weeks ago, Jeff Gunnarson posted on the Campaign Life Coalition (CLC Blog, reporting a parent’s concern about the books they found in the library at Canadian Martyrs Catholic Elementary School, which is part of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB).
The parent, who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal against them or their children, took several pictures showing books currently in the school library that normalize drag queens, seduction, teenage boys kissing, and boys saying they want to sleep with other boys.
Here are some of the books that were found on display in their elementary (Kindergarten to Grade 8) Catholic school’s library:
This would only be a small sample of the books available to students in the WCDSB. For example, ALL books listed below are currently found in the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) school libraries, and all except for ‘All Boys Aren’t Blue’, ‘Fun Home a Family Tragicomic’, ‘Let’s Talk About It’, ‘The Gender Book’, ‘Gender Queer’, ‘This Book is Gay’, and ‘It’s Perfectly Normal’, are found in the WCDSB as of our cross-search last March.
Want to know if these books are in your kids’ school library?
A link to how to search for any particular book in Waterloo Region District School Board
A link to how to search for any particular book in Waterloo Catholic District School Board
***NOTE: There are currently no policies in place at these publicly funded school boards to prevent ANY teacher from having any of these books in their classroom. The links above are only to know if the school library is housing them (physically and/or electronically), but does not rule out their presence in classroom collections.
A group of parents and grandparents came together and wrote an open letter addressed to Premier Doug Ford, Minister of Education Jill Dunlop, and the current WCDSB Director of Education, Tyrone Dowling:
This group of people, parents and grandparents of Waterloo Region, calling themselves Grand-Parents Social (GPS) are on a mission to help parents and families navigate through the issues and threats that impact them in today’s world.
These people of Waterloo Region urge you to take a look at the letter and consider sending your thoughts in the form of a letter and/or phone call, and/or a delegation before the board to make your voice heard about this contentious issue. You are welcome to copy the letter as is, revise or send your own note – the goal is simply to have as many voices heard about this issue as possible.
Send your thoughts to:
Tyrone.dowling@wcdsb.ca
director.office@wcdsb.ca
Jill.Dunlop@pc.ola.org
Doug.fordco.pc.ola.org
Premier@ontario.ca
Gary Lankowski, Principal
Canadian Martyrs Catholic Elementary School
Phone: 519-578-7579
Email: gary.lankowski@wcdsb.ca
Trustee Robert Sikora (Cambridge / North Dumfries)
Phone: 519-578-3660 Ext. 2164
Email: bob.sikora@wcdsb.ca
Trustee Linda Cuff (Waterloo / Wellesley / Woolwich)
Phone: 519-578-3660 Ext. 2168
Email: linda.cuff@wcdsb.ca
Trustee Renee Kraft (Kitchener / Wilmot)
Phone: 519-578-3677 Ext. 2139
Email: renee.kraft@wcdsb.ca
Trustee Tracey Weiler (Kitchener / Wilmot)
Phone: 519-578-3677 Ext. 2131
Email: tracey.weiler@wcdsb.ca
Kathy Doherty-Masters (Kitchener / Wilmot)
Phone: 519-578-3660 Ext. 2156
Email: kathy.dohertymasters@wcdsb.ca
Trustee David Guerin (Cambridge / North Dumfries)
Phone: 519-578-3660 Ext. 2162
Email: david.guerin@wcdsb.ca
Trustee Winston Francis (Kitchener / Wilmot)
Phone: 519-578-3660 Ext. 2160
Email: winston.francis@wcdsb.ca
Trustee Marisa Phillips (Cambridge / North Dumfries)
Phone: 519-578-3660 Ext. 2166
Email: marisa.phillips@wcdsb.ca
Trustee Conrad Stanley (Waterloo / Wellesley / Woolwich)
Phone: 519-578-3660 Ext. 2158
Email: conrad.stanley@wcdsb.ca
Additionally, Bishops have a Canon Law responsibility to ensure that Catholic schools teach the authentic Catholic faith or otherwise lose the right to use of the title “Catholic”. Please consider also contacting the local Bishop:
The Most Reverend Douglas Crosby, OMI
Bishop of the Diocese of Hamilton
Phone: 905-528-7988 Ext. 2222
Diocese of Hamilton
700 King St W
Hamilton, ON L8P 1C7
We’re grateful for all of the people and parents of Waterloo Region working to protect our children and their education! Way to go GPS!