November 8 Edmonton The Alberta […]

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When

1978-11-08

Description

November 8 Edmonton The Alberta School Trustees' Association passed a resolution (329 in favour, 318 against) asking the Alberta government not to introduce legislation that would restrict local school boards "from dealing with proven instances of homosexuality among any of its paid employees, elected officials, or student enrolments." The resolution had been proposed earlier in the year by Willard Brooks of Cardston, Alberta, at a meeting of Southern Alberta school trustees held in Lethbridge, Alberta. The resolution's intent was to encourage the expulsion of gay students and staff from schools. It was proposed shortly after the Alberta Human Rights Commission released its recommendation to add sexual orientation to Alberta's Individual Rights Protection Act. The resolution was also made in response to the Alberta Teachers' Association's strong opposition to Anita Bryant's appearance in Edmonton on April 29, 1978. The action was controversial, and occurred the same week that voters in California had defeated Proposition 6, a similar initiative; the Edmonton Journal called it "outrageous and unwarranted."