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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, June 24, 2016 | 8 Heated debate surrounds HCDSB discipline vote by Kathy Yanchus Metroland West Media After some heated exchanges, failed motions to derail a vote and innumerable points of order interruptions, the Halton Catholic District School Board finally passed its revised discipline and safety policy after a second go-round. The policy originally came up for approval in May, after receiving unanimous approval at the policy committee level. It became a divisive issue after Oakville trustee Anthony Quinn raised concerns about the words sexual orientation and gender identity within the policy when dealing with "a safe, caring and accepting school environment." Quinn's fear was students who "recited their Catholic teaching" could be subject to discipline. The policy then failed to pass at the May 17 board meeting after Quinn, fellow Oakville trustees Helena Karabela and Anthony Danko and Burlington trustee Susan Trites voted against it, requesting it go Anthony Quinn back to the policy committee. At the June 21 board meeting, Danko tried to postpone the vote by moving a religious canon lawyer rather than a secular ministry lawyer, vet the policy. Karabela said having a church lawyer vet the secular language of the ministry was in keeping with Catholic denominational rights protected under the Constitution, Education Act and Human Rights Code "I urge my fellow trustees to vote to have a church lawyer vet the policy through a Helena Karabela Catholic lens," said Karabela. Danko's second motion requested the board seek a legal opinion on whether the board had improperly brought the policy back too soon after its defeat, labeling its inclusion on the agenda "out of order." Both motions were supported by Quinn, Karabela and Trites, but were defeated. Superintendent of Education Toni Pinelli reminded trustees the policy "needed to be passed and should have been passed awhile ago. "We were, in fact, given directions previously as to Anthony Danko the amendments that had to be placed in the policy.... There seems to be a lack of understanding around the table that you're making the decision on a mandate that is required. It is mandated by the Ministry of Education," he said. Seeking to clarify any misunderstanding of the policy's intent, Burlington trustee Arlene Iantomasi said in no way does the revised discipline and safety policy prevent Catholic students from expressing their faith. "All our policies and Paul Marai curriculum are rooted in our Catholic faith and supported by our Ontario bishops, the Institute for Catholic Education and our local dioceses; the board works with all these parties all the time," said Iantomasi. "Our own student trustees relate to us that the dialogue is already happening in the classroom where students are respectful in their debate of faith and lifestyle. As long as there's dialogue that's respectful and open and genuine, that's the way it should be presented. ".... If you want to bring your Catholic viewpoint as a student, it will be accepted. It's when you use it as a hammer or you use it disrespectfully, when you sit in judgment, that the students have a problem with it. I believe these students should be protected. We are all God's children," said Iantomasi. Oakville trustee Paul Marai, policy committee chair, chastised trustees who defeated the policy's approval May 17 requesting it go back to committee. "But when it got to policy just last week, all they did was say it was out of order and we should not discuss it any further.... You decided that discussion was out of order. That I want in the public record," said a clearly frustrated and angry Marai. In the end, Trites, Karabela and Danko abstained from the vote believing it to be out of order. Quinn opposed it. Voting to approve the policy were Halton Hills trustee John Mark Rowe, Milton trustee Diane Rabenda, Iantomasi and Marai. AyA Kitchens of oAKville 1195 north service roAd west 905.847.1522 ayaoakville.com