The Pride flag went up outside Wellington Heights Secondary School. Then it came down.
The reason for the sudden reversal was a complaint about the flag being flown on the same pole as the Canadian flag.
The complainant claimed it was illegal. Officials with the Upper Grand District School Board say they took the matter to police for clarification.
“The RCMP informed the school principal that the rules are not law, however they are important guidelines around flag flying etiquette,” Heather Ginzel, the board’s equity curriculum leader, said Wednesday in an email to other UGDSB staff.
Still wanting to show support for the LGBTQ community, the board decided to order a second flagpole for the Mount Forest high school.
Until that pole arrives – which may not be until after the school year ends – the Pride flag is being housed in a display case in the front lobby of Wellington Heights.
“It’s a good compromise,” Georgia Mills, the student who brought the issue to the attention of the media, told CTV News.
“It’s the first thing you see when you walk into the school.”
