COMMENTARY: Let’s make a difference by revising New Brunswick’s policy 713

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Allie Ashford, one of three students working on a civic action project regarding policy 713 at Fredericton High School in New Brunswick, provided the following opinion article.

Policy 713 is an education policy in New Brunswick regarding sexual orientation and gender identity. In July and August of 2023, the policy was revised to prevent transgender and non-binary students from using their chosen names and pronouns in schools if they are under the age of 16 without parental consent.

In section 6.3.2 of policy 713 it states that “formal use of preferred first name for transgender or non-binary students under the age of sixteen will require parental consent.” It also declares that “if it is not possible to obtain consent to talk to the parent, the student will be encouraged to communicate with the appropriate professionals to develop a plan to speak with their parents when they are ready to do so.”

By saying this, they are implying that they will get the kids help, but they will still eventually out them to their family.

Mental distress

Declaring this causes a severe amount of anxiety on LGBTQ+ youth as they are constantly fearful that they will be outed. This can lead to immense physical and mental distress for these students who may not be ready or willing to share this information, causing them to repress their identity.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in Canada among youth and young adults, with LGBTQ+ youth being three times more likely to die by suicide, and transgender youth being six times more likely. Transgender and non-binary youth have a higher probability of dying by suicide as they often experience peer oppression, have a dysfunctional family, and/or have difficulties accessing mental health care.

If a child has a non-supporting family, and a school that doesn’t acknowledge their identity without parental consent, that child is going to feel unsupported and even more neglected than they already do.

Homelessness

Did you know that between 25-40 per cent of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ+ in Canada? There are so many kids that get exiled, abused, and forced to hide their sexual orientation and gender identity but our education system still feels that parents have the right to know. Schools are supposed to be safe spaces for kids to learn and have fun, but for these kids, school can be a harmful and unaccepting environment. Imagine being stuck with nowhere to express who you are and who you feel comfortable being. School should be a place for these kids to escape to and feel protected, especially if their family does not support them.

Online petition

My two close friends and I strongly believe that policy 713 needs to be revised as it is hurtful towards the LGBTQ+ community and is hurting children’s mental health. I decided to write this article to garner attention on this issue and to gain signatures for our petition.

At a glance

• To view the Fredericton High students’ petition, visit change.org 
• People in Canada who are experiencing mental health distress or thoughts of suicide can call the new three-digit helpline at 988

We think that more people must know about what is going on, and we need all the help we can acquire to get government officials to review the policy and restore it to the previous version.

I have explained to many people the importance of changing this policy, and it always helps to remind them that not all households are the same. Even if it is not the case in your family, so many households are dangerous for LGBTQ+ youth, and our community needs to realize how harmful this can be on kids.

Schools are supposed to be safe spaces for kids to learn and have fun, but for these kids, school can be a harmful and unaccepting environment.

Fear caused by coming out and being outed can take a severe toll on kids’ mental health. There are so many children that are affected by this policy, and New Brunswick must do better to protect them. Amending policy 713 could save lives and by doing this we can take one step closer towards achieving equality and inclusivity within our education system. Please consider signing our petition to support this cause. Let’s make a difference together.