A Rainbow Tent performer and her mother decided to organize a protest rally outside the office of the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (GSCS) division over an email telling teachers to not take their students to the Rainbow Tent. .The Rainbow Tent is at the Nutrien Children's Festival (NCF) coming up on June 1 to 4 in Saskatoon and targeted at children ages “2 to 12-year-olds,” according to the organizers. This is the first year for the Rainbow Tent, which has events “from Drag Queen Storytime to inclusive dress-up performances filled with colour and fun, this tent is full of rainbows.”.READ MORE Saskatoon Catholic teachers advised to skip ‘rainbow tent’ at kids festival, sparks outrage.Fran Forsberg and her daughter Skylar Forsberg, 19, organized the rally on Saturday afternoon in downtown Saskatoon..“We wanted to figure out how we could make the community come together and fight this. We need to figure out a plan,” performer Skylar told the StarPhoenix..“I was feeling a little bit overwhelmed and a little scared to perform. But … I can do this. I’m not going to back down … let’s rise up.”.A GSCS superintendent's email advising against taking elementary students to the NCF's Rainbow Tent led to outrage in the Saskatoon sexual minority community and the protest rally..Tom Hickey, GSCS superintendent of education, emailed Saskatoon Catholic school principals to inform teachers and parent chaperones “that the Rainbow Tent should be part of their visit” to the NCF..“Based on the description on the festival website, engagement and participation by our students in that particular on-site offering would not be supported,” said Hickey in the May 17 email..On Saturday, Fran Forsberg, a scheduled performer in the Rainbow Tent, said that the protesters aimed to send a message to the school division about the importance of including all children..“There’s mental health issues with kids, there’s suicide with kids and they need to educate themselves,” said Fran..Fran has two gender-fluid children and said that the Catholic Church had caused significant harm to children “not just (in) Canada, but around the world. So they need to rethink their positions.”.“They really do and they need to make the circle wider to include everybody. Lots of kids don’t have the support at home,” said Fran..“There are many, many really good teachers in the Catholic system, but the higher-ups need to educate themselves.”.Fran said the Rainbow Tent would proceed as planned, regardless of the controversy..“It’s going to be great. I’ve even got friends coming from Regina just to bring their kids to the tent because of the pushback,” said Fran..“The next step is starting to try and change things. I know that I’ve seen a lot of staff in the Catholic school system standing up and sending support and I think … they’re going to see a lot more vocal and visible people saying this isn’t right, even in the Catholic system.”.In a statement on Friday, Saskatoon Pride said it “would like to take this opportunity to encourage teachers and educators in the GSCS school system to think critically, and outside of the narrative” shared by the administration..Saskatoon Pride said the Rainbow Tent “is a welcoming and accepting safe space for children, parents, educators, volunteers and friends … If there is ever a time in our lives where acceptance, understanding, unity, and a little bit of rainbow love is needed for our children, it is now.”.On Friday, Francois Rivard, GSCS director of education, stated that parents and caregivers are best suited to decide on their children's involvement in the festival programming..“We recognize the internal email has been viewed by some as one of judgment, hate and exclusion,” said Rivard. .“That was never the intent, nor does that represent our division’s beliefs. We acknowledge the deep hurt, and for that, we apologize.”.READ MORE Saskatoon Catholic Schools responds to leaked email about children’s festival 'rainbow tent'.The NCF said it is committed to the Rainbow Tent and inclusive activities..“We believe that every child should feel heard, loved, accepted and supported and we work hard to provide performances and activities that support this belief,” said NCF organizers in a statement on Thursday.
