New Brunswick’s Premier reinstates gender identity protections in schools
Fredericton: So, Premier Susan Holt of New Brunswick is making some big changes. She’s reversing the previous government’s policy on gender identity in schools. This was part of her campaign promise, and she’s sticking to it.
Today, she announced that her Liberal government has updated Policy 713. They took advice from the child and youth advocate, plus feedback from students, families, and the LGBTQ+ community. It’s all about making schools more inclusive.
Remember back in June 2023? The old Progressive Conservative government said that kids under 16 needed parental consent to use different names or pronouns at school. That didn’t sit well with a lot of people.
Just two months later, the child and youth advocate, Kelly Lamrock, pointed out that this could violate the rights of non-binary and transgender students. It was a big deal.
Now, the new policy allows students under 16 to choose how they want to be identified at school. Parents are encouraged to be aware, but they don’t have to give permission. This change is set to kick in on January 1.
Stay tuned for more updates!
