2336 Bloor Street West

PO Box 84556
Toronto, ON M6S 4Z7
Informing and Mobilizing Catholic Voters

For immediate release

June 30, 2014


Catholic parents demanding teachers do not officially attend Gay Pride March in Toronto
this month

TORONTO -

Parents as First Educators (PAFE) and its supporters are urging the Algonquin and
Lakeshore Catholic board to take action against teachers who attend the WorldPride Parade in
Toronto on June 29. The board will be debating a formal protest of the decision by OECTA, the
Catholic teachers union, to send a delegation to the parade at a meeting Tuesday, June
17. PAFE supporters are urging Trustees to look into possible actions that can be taken by the
board as the employer of the teachers.

PAFE President, Teresa Pierre, PhD, said, Its an outrage that the teachers union is
officially attending the parade when the Cardinal has said this goes against Catholic faith. As a
Catholic organization the union is obligated to support the faith in all its public activities. Our
supporters are asking Trustees in the Algonquin and Lakeshore board to step up and ensure that
teachers in the board stay on the same page with the Cardinal.

The Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) voted to participate in
the World Pride Parade in Toronto at its Annual General Meeting in March, 2014. In April The
Catholic Register reported that Cardinal Thomas and Bishop Gerard Bergie of St. Catharines
had tried to convince OECTA President James Ryan to withdraw from the parade but failed to
achieve resolution of the problem. Cardinal Collins opposed the decision because it
demonstrated an inadequate and mistaken understanding of what the Church teaches about
sexuality and marriage.

PAFE put up an online petition in April protesting the union decision. It is addressed to
Catholic Trustees, the direct employers of the teachers and the ones legally responsible for
ensuring the promotion of the Catholic religion in the boards.

The petition was signed by over 1000 people in its first week and currently has over
5200 signatures. The story made headlines across the province the week of April 21 in news
outlets including the Sun and Metro media chains and the Huffington Post, and saturated talk
radio and TV. Wei Chen memorably put OECTA President James Ryan on the spot on Metro
Morning on CBC.

Motions to send letter to the union asking teachers not to participate in the Parade were
passed in the York and London Catholic boards and debated in numerous other boards, including
Halton and Waterloo, where Trustees additionally suggested their boards determine
consequences for teachers who participate in the parade.
2336 Bloor Street West
PO Box 84556
Toronto, ON M6S 4Z7
Informing and Mobilizing Catholic Voters


Pierre said, Many parents have reached out to Trustees in the Algonquin and
Lakeshore Catholic board to ensure teachers support church teachings in all their official
activities. Our students need to see the partners in Catholic education - parents, trustees, teachers,
administrators, support staff and students - standing together as a community and upholding
Catholic teachings. Otherwise it is just confusing for our students and sends the wrong
message.












About Parents as First Educators

Parents as First Educators (PAFE) holds Ontario Catholic Trustees accountable to taxpayers through
grassroots activism. We inform and mobilize over 15,000 supporters throughout Ontario. PAFE
monitors and intervenes to ensure Board officials keep their activities transparent to the public. We hold
them responsible for their actions and expect them to promote the teachings of the Catholic
Church. News from Parents as First Educators is available online at www.p-first.com, on Twitter at
@pafe4 or at www.facebook.com/pafe4 on Facebook.

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Contact:

Teresa Pierre, Ph.D., President
(416) 889-5396
pafe4you@gmail.com