Three tiny Pride flags flutter in the wind at the base of a flagpole outside Elma Township Public School near Atwood. The tiny Pride flags are a temporary replacement for a flagpole holding a large Pride flag and Canadian flag that was cut down by vandals sometime over the weekend. “Those were placed by a Kindergartner who was just devastated when she saw that the flagpole was cut down. And so, for her to take it upon herself to put those little flags up speaks mountains about the support from our community,” said Jason Burt, the Human Rights and Equity Lead with the Avon Maitland District School Board (AMDSB). In all, four flag poles displaying Pride and Canadian flags at four Perth County elementary schools, Elma Township, Mornington Central, North Easthope, and Central Perth Public Schools, were chopped down by vandals over the weekend. Local Pride organizations are upset by the vandalism, but sadly, are getting used to it. “While it was definitely unfortunate, it’s not surprising in some ways considering the events that we’ve heard about in Norwich and Markham and other places. You know, it’s something that you don’t want to see in your community, but when it comes to being visible and transparent about Pride, you do sometimes expect some backlash, unfortunately,” said Alex Jebson, chairperson of Huron County Pride. AMDSB, who just this year got Pride flags displayed all 39 of their schools, described the weekend vandalism as “targeted” and “hateful.” “What’s frustrating and disappointing is that racism and hate is expensive. Instead of allocating resources to students, I now have to replace four flag poles that also carry the Canadian flag, which to me is also a disaster. When you think about having that much hate, where you’re willing to sacrifice your own country, that’s really hard to understand,” said Burt. In the nearby Municipality of North Perth, where they’ve been flying the Pride flag for the past four years, Mayor Todd Kasenberg calls the flagpole destruction as the actions of a miseducated minority. “This is not who we are as a people. And there may be individuals who have some kind of political or religious agenda that they’re prosecuting. But there are better ways of doing it than what they’ve done. If you want to protest, you want to express a different point of view, there’s a way of doing this civilly in our society that can be achieved. You don’t have to, you know, take a saw or climb up flagpoles to do that,” said North Perth Mayor Todd Kasenberg. Jebson says the Pride flag may not mean much to many students, but it meant a lot to him, when he was one of a handful of openly gay students at his rural Ontario high school. “As someone who grew up in rural Ontario, being one of the first out kids in their high school, I think just having that little bit of visibility is so important. It’s just that little bit of support, that little bit of understanding, that little bit of knowing that you are valued in the community,” said Jebson. “So as much as people say, ‘It’s just a flag, it’s just a parade, they’re just making a fuss over nothing,’ it really is integral to community and inclusion. “So, I hope that the students know that they have support from our Pride organizations, from our local communities, and from everyone else who’s wishing them well,” added Jebson. Police say they have two suspects caught on school surveillance cameras riding an ATV and carrying a saw outside the schools over the weekend. The school board says it may take some time, but the flagpoles, along with the Pride flags and Canadian flags, will go back up outside the four schools as soon as possible. “Those who feel that hate is the only objective. I would hope that they learn that love outweighs hate. And even though this has happened to us, you can be assured that we will be putting the flagpoles back up, and we will not be deterred from any vandalism,” said Burt. The Perth County OPP is requesting anyone who may have information related to this investigation or who may have video of the area to contact The Perth County OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or ontariocrimestoppers.ca Statement from North Perth Pride Chair of North Perth Pride, Connor Gadd provided the following statement regarding the recent vandalism of Pride flags in our community. “North Perth Pride is disappointed by the recent vandalism of Pride flags in our community. While incidents like this can be upsetting and discouraging, they also remind us of the importance of community, support, and resilience. We know that acts of discrimination can have a real impact on 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, their families, friends, and allies. In response, North Perth Pride is working to gather resources, support information, and community connections that can be made available through our website. Our goal is to ensure that anyone affected by discrimination, harassment, or acts of intolerance knows they are not alone and can easily access information, support, and community resources when they need them. We remain committed to fostering a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive community for everyone. Anyone seeking support or additional information is encouraged to contact us at northperthpride@gmail.com." Statement from AMDSB “Over the weekend, several school communities were victims of targeted acts of property damage. Multiple flagpoles, which were flying both the Canadian flag and the Pride flag, were deliberately cut down. Let us be clear: this was not a simple act of mischief. This was a targeted, costly, and hateful act of vandalism. To our 2SLGBTQIA+ students, staff, and families: We stand with you. This act does not change our commitment to you, nor does it diminish your right to feel safe, valued, and celebrated in our schools. Our mental health and well-being team is available should any students or staff need support. Furthermore, desecrating flagpoles that carry the Canadian flag is extremely disrespectful to our country and the freedoms it represents. Replacing these poles is very costly, re-allocating taxpayer dollars that should be going directly into our classrooms to support student learning. It is shameful that community resources must now be diverted to repair the damage caused by this act. Perth OPP are now investigating, and we are assisting by providing video footage to ensure those responsible are held accountable. We urge anyone with information to contact the police immediately (Perth or Huron OPP: 1-888-310-1122, Stratford Police: 519-271-4141). The flagpoles will be replaced. The flags will fly again. Our schools will remain safe spaces for everyone, and our resolve to foster an inclusive environment is only strengthened by this incident.” Statement from Huron County Pride “Huron County Pride extends their condolences and support to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Perth County, particularly the youth and educators, as they face acts of hate and vandalism. Over the weekend, flag poles at Central Perth, Elma Township, North Easthope, and Mornington Central Public Schools, which were flying the Pride Flag, were cut down and vandalized. These incidents are currently under investigation by the OPP, but it is clear that these are targeted and hate-motivated events, especially during Pride Month. It follows a pattern of vandalism and acts of hate that have occurred throughout Southwestern Ontario in the past weeks, with perpetrators emboldened by anonymity to spread their hate. Flying the pride flag is a visible symbol that shows that schools are working towards creating safer, accepting and inclusive spaces that support everyone, including the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. The Pride flag serves as a reminder that no student should experience harassment because of their identity, and that support is offered for those who face discrimination. The flag shows that everyone belongs in a community - it doesn’t exclude anyone. We as an organization work in the same school district, and we have supported Pride events and organizations in Perth County. As such, Huron County Pride stands in solidarity with our Perth County 2SLGBTQIA+ siblings as we address and call out the hate that exists within our local communities. We look forward to working with the Avon Maitland District School Board, our friends at North Perth Pride and Stratford-Perth Pride, and other organizations to help ensure the safety and support of 2SLGBTQIA+ students, educators, and workers in our schools. These acts of hate and vandalism call us to remember that Pride is not just a celebration, but also a movement and a protest. Now more than ever, we need our allies and partners to demonstrate, in word and action, that we will not accept this hate, and that we are all committed to the work of inclusion and community-building. Talk to those around you about the importance of 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion in our area, and send your love and support to these school communities that have been impacted. One way that you can help effect change at an organizational level is by engaging in the Proud Community Project. This two-part training module was developed by Stratford-Perth Pride, supported by the insights of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals throughout Huron and Perth Counties. These in-person training modules are intended to not just teach businesses and community organizations about 2SLGBTQIA+ basics, but also develop tangible and context-specific action plans for inclusion. This module is offered throughout Perth and Huron Counties. To find out more, please contact proudcommunityprojectspp@gmail.com.” Supports for students For students seeking out support following these events, please use the resources below:
