YCAO is committed to being a safe space for children & youth and an ally to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and we stand with the gender and sexually diverse youth of the Yukon. The safety and well-being of all young people is paramount, especially as we continue to see harmful ideologies espoused and discriminatory legislation passed nationally. Safe and inclusive schools for all students lead to better mental health and educational outcomes.
Children have a right to live safely, free of discrimination and without fear of self-expression. Using this textbook in Yukon schools directly opposes these rights. We are glad to see that the advocacy of parents, families, and community members has led to this textbook being pulled from the school. However, YCAO is troubled that this outcome only happened after parental and media attention, despite students having voiced their concerns about this textbook for years. As an office dedicated to amplifying the voices of young people, YCAO unequivocally stands for children and youth’s right to be heard.
We await the outcome of the Government of Yukon’s formal review of the situation and trust that the outcome will align with its LGBTQ2S+ Inclusion Action Plan and Sexual Orientation and Gender Inclusivity (SOGI) policy in Yukon schools. We expect government supports to be made available to the students impacted by the use of this harmful textbook.
The Child & Youth Advocate Office is an independent office of the Legislative Assembly. The operations of the office are guided by the Child and Youth Advocate Act. Children, youth or others concerned about a child or youth receiving services within Yukon Government can contact the Child and Youth Advocate Office at (867) 456-5575.
Contact:
Rachel Veinott-McKeough
Policy and Systemic Analyst
Yukon Child and Youth Advocate Office
(867) 456-5575