Royal City Record September 26 2014

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N E W

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2014

W E S T M I N S T E R

INSIDE: Looking back at city ambassadors P3



NEWS,

SPORTS,

OPINION

&

ENTERTAINMENT

 www.royalcityrecord.com

Hanging around Sitka LandGillis, 4, and brother Heron, 6 enjoy the hammocks at Westminster Pier Park’s newly opened urban beach. The beach also includes sand volleyball courts and beach umbrellas. Jennifer Gauther/ THE RECORD

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DRAFT POLICY STRIVES FOR SUPPOR TIVE, WELCOMING ATMOSPHERE IN SCHOOLS

District asks for input on LBGT policy BY NIKI HOPE REPORTER

nhope@royalcityrecord.com

The story of a transgender hockey player who found support at his East Vancouver high school got this city’s school board chair thinking about whether enough was being done for lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender students in New Westminster. A year ago, Jonina Campbell heard Cory Oskam talk about his experience transitioning and outing himself to his teammates and classmates.

Cory – who picked his name from his hero, former Canucks goalie Cory Schneider – was born female but has been gender non-conforming since the age of two. At the age of nine, he began taking hormone blockers to halt female puberty, and at the age of 14 began taking testosterone, according to his biography. After hearing him speak, Campbell decided to ask the new superintendent to revisit an old New West school district policy on gender identity and sexual orientation. Campbell felt the previous policy lacked

“teeth,” so she took the issue to John Gaiptman, the superintendent who took over managing the district in February. He re-drafted a gender/sexual orientation policy to help guide the district in a direction that promotes inclusion and “actively supports diversity.” The extensive policy has the bite Campbell was looking for, covering safety issues for children of all sexual orientations and gender identities. It includes a call for learning resources that acknowledge “human diversity as an essential and enriching element of our

society.” “We need a policy that no matter who you are in our district, that this is a safe, welcoming, inclusive, supportive school for you to go to,” Campbell said. Both Gaiptman and Campbell said there are transgender students in New Westminster schools, though they don’t know the exact numbers because, Campbell said, it’s not something they track. Campbell said there is a gaystraight alliance club at New Westminster Secondary School. ◗LGBT Page 8

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