Mark Davidson, superintendent at Medicine Hat School District 76 is shown in the May 2017 photo. For a second time SD76 has rejected a petition from Concerned Parents of SD76 opposing the division’s Gender and Sexual Identity Policy 622. -- NEWS FILE PHOTO
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SD76 is rejecting a petition submitted by local group Concerned Parents of SD76 opposing the division’s Gender and Sexual Identity Policy 622 for a second time.
The division publicly announced its decision on Friday.
“Our secretary treasurer Jerry Labossiere examined the amended petition, and used the Education Act to measure whether or not the amended petition was sufficient,” explained SD76 superintendent Mark Davidson. “He found there remained a number of deficiencies that leave the petition 138 signatures short of sufficiency. There were a number of duplicate signatures. There were a number of people who signed the amended petition who were from outside the city limits. And there were other issues with addresses not being complete.”
SD76 board chair Rick Massini said the trustees have decided to give the group an extension until July 21 to see if its members can get the petition in order.
“The board received the information from the secretary treasurer and, after some discussion, said let’s give the petitioners another two weeks to get the petition in order. So that gives the group until July 21. And if the petition is presented in order, we will be happy to receive it. If it isn’t, then we’re saying we’ve given this enough consideration and time.”
Massini said the board felt they had been more than reasonable with the group thus far, but it is was time to bring this chapter to a close if the petition can’t be fixed.
“The board wants to bring closure to this issue. It has gone on for 14 months now. I know the board has been following the letter of the law, and that’s what the community expects,” he said.
Davidson said if Concerned Parents can put the petition in order by the deadline, then the Education Act has a clear procedure for what happens next.
“The Act then requires that we advertise within 21 days the establishment of a public meeting regarding the question of the petition,” he explained. “That meeting has to happen within 90 days of the submission. That meeting will be open to the public at large, not just members of the group who brought forth the petition. From that gathering, four people are elected to serve on a six-member panel which produces advice for the board. Two members are appointed by the board. Once that committee has completed its work and determined what advice they want to offer, a public meeting of the board is held. The panel members submit their recommendations and findings to the board, and the board receives that.”
