The University of Regina Pride Centre for Sexuality and Gender Diversity (UR Pride) is taking the Saskatchewan government to court. .The UR Pride is against the new policies about how pronouns should be used for children in school. The case is being brought to the Saskatchewan Court of King's Bench..On Aug. 22, the province said if children under 16 want to use different names or pronouns at school, it would require parental consent..In their court filing, UR Pride argues these new policies go against the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. They said the policies are unfair to students who are gender-diverse. .According to UR Pride, all students have the right to "a safe and welcoming educational environment in which to be themselves.".UR Pride says this new rule could cause problems for kids not ready to tell their parents or others about their gender identity. .This could put these kids in danger if their families or communities do not accept them, said UR Pride.This new policy means teachers have to call students by the names given to them at birth, not the names they choose for themselves if their parents do not give permission. ."The policy presents an impossible choice: be outed at home or be misgendered at school, even in one-on-one counselling sessions with school personnel," said the lawsuit. ."Either outcome entails devastating and irreparable harm to a vulnerable young person.”.The court filing names the Saskatchewan government and all 27 school districts in the province. The lawsuit says these parties need to respond in court on Sept. 14..In a statement, the Saskatchewan government said they are sticking with the new parental rights and sex education policies. There are no plans to change or amend them.."The government maintains its position that parents and guardians have a key role in protecting and supporting their children as they grow and develop, and will do everything in its power to protect parental rights," said the government. .UR Pride is asking the court to recognize they are standing up for the “public interest." They believe the rule changes will affect many people negatively..UR Pride filed the lawsuit with help from Egale Canada, a national group that fights for sexual minority rights, and McCarthy Tétrault LLP, a law firm.."The policy represents a dramatic and regressive change from existing practices in Saskatchewan school districts," said the lawsuit.."Teachers and school personnel were able to use — and did use in practice — their professional judgment to adopt the best course of action in the circumstances. Teachers and other school personnel, thus could, and did, play an invaluable role in helping students feel safe.”.The lawsuit says the new rule unfairly targets sexual minority children. .According to UR Pride, kids who are not transgender do not face the same issue. Their chosen names and pronouns are "consistently and automatically respected and observed within the school environment,” whereas transgender students would not be under the new policies.."The policy, therefore, creates a clear distinction based on gender identity and expression,” said the lawsuit.
