The Minister of Education of Nueva Scotia said Tuesday that it will make clear schools on the southern coast of the province that are expected to resume flying flags that represent various communities.
Brendan Maguire told reporters that he believes that all schools in the province should be safe places of inclusion and schools that have flags that represent various communities should fly them.
“This legislature proudly flies the flags, and we want to make sure our schools are inclusive and show those flags with pride,” Maguire said.
“We do not want everyone to act independently in these things. When it comes to inclusive environments, this is not negotiable.”
The Regional Center for Education of South Shore issued a directive on Friday that all flags in addition to the Canada and Nueva Scotia had to be retired. A center spokesman said the decision was made to better care for the flags, moving them inside to protect them from damage.
Subsequently, the concerns were raised by the Union of New Scotland teachers. The president of the Union, Peter Day, has said that many of its members told him during the weekend that they were upset because the flags that represent Mi’kmaq, ordered African Nova Scotian, LGBTQ+ and other communities.
“They understand how important are the symbols in our school for our children. And when these symbols are eliminated, children can feel isolated and vulnerable,” Day said an interview on Monday.
Maguire said he made his decision to communicate with the educational centers after discovering that the flags had been eliminated and after the discussions with the union of teachers.
“I understand that someone had put a concern about the condition of a flag, someone to which that flag represented, and the center made the decision to eliminate the flags,” he said.
“We are going to send a clear message that these flags should be shown and that people must feel safe and have inclusive environments when they go to school.”
The issue was raised in the legislature on Tuesday by the opposition liberals and the PND that pressed the government to act to restore the flags.
The Regional Center for Education of South Shore represents 23 primary, intermediate and secondary schools in English.
