Five dedicated trustees of the Mountain View School Division—Jason Gryba, Gabe Mercier, Kerri Wieler, John Taylor, and Paul Coffey—made a courageous and thoughtful decision to display only three flags across schools: the Canadian flag, the Manitoba provincial flag, and the individual school flag. This policy reflects a deep commitment to genuine neutrality and 100% inclusivity, ensuring every student, staff member, and community member feels equally represented and respected.
However, with recent changes to the board, there is mounting pressure to reverse this fair and balanced decision by introducing additional flags that represent specific groups. Such a move risks undermining the very inclusivity and unity that schools strive to uphold. Here’s why it’s crucial to support these trustees and their original decision:
1. True Inclusion Represents Everyone
The Canadian and Manitoba flags are powerful symbols that encompass all individuals within our diverse community. They represent unity, shared values, and respect for all, without singling out specific groups. Adding flags tied to particular ideologies or national identities could unintentionally create divisions, as not everyone would feel represented.
2. Neutrality Promotes Fairness and Unity
Schools should be safe spaces where every student feels welcome, regardless of their background or beliefs. Introducing flags that represent specific identities or ideologies risks turning these neutral environments into arenas for political or cultural debates. Where would the line be drawn? Should every nationality, religion, or ideology have its flag displayed? Neutrality helps maintain focus on education and unity.
3. Strong Leadership Means Standing Firm
Revisiting a decision made just months ago could appear as wavering under external pressures. Leadership is about standing by principles, especially when they promote fairness and inclusivity. If neutrality and inclusivity guided the trustees' decision initially, what has fundamentally changed to warrant reconsideration?
4. Consistency with Broader Practices
Many government institutions, municipalities, and educational bodies adopt similar neutral flag policies to maintain fairness and avoid favoritism. Government buildings, for example, do not display ideological or minority national flags as part of official protocol. Schools should follow this example to preserve an environment of equality and neutrality.
5. Celebrating Diversity Without Division
The current policy doesn’t ignore cultural and ideological diversity. It allows for temporary displays of special flags for educational purposes or cultural events, ensuring diverse histories and identities are acknowledged without making permanent changes that might unintentionally exclude others. This approach balances recognition with unity.
6. Preserving the Integrity of the Policy
Changing course now sets a precedent that could open the door to continuous demands from various groups. Upholding neutrality today helps avoid future conflicts and ensures that schools remain places of learning and community, not platforms for ideological representation.
Why Your Support Matters
These trustees have shown strong leadership and dedication to the well-being of all students and community members. Their decision to maintain a neutral and inclusive flag policy reflects courage and integrity. If you believe in the values of fairness, unity, and true inclusivity, now is the time to stand with them.
Let’s support these trustees as they continue to uphold principles that ensure every student feels equally valued and respected, regardless of their background or beliefs. Together, we can help maintain schools as spaces of unity, learning, and inclusion for all.
How to Contact the School Board Members
Here is a link to the contact information for the board of the Mountain View School Division:
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