Ottawa school board pulls out of Capital Pride parade after 15-year run

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board will not participate in Capital Pride this year, ending a tradition that began in 2011.

In a statement, the board said it recognizes Pride Month in June through school activities, but noted that Capital Pride events take place in late August, outside the school year. "The City of Ottawa recognizes Pride during the month of August with public events planned for the last week of August. These events do not fall within the school year for our students and staff," the board said.

Capital Pride executive director Callie Metler confirmed the organization has not received an application from the OCDSB. Applications remain open until July 24.

Elected trustee Donna Blackburn, the first openly gay trustee elected to the OCDSB, called the decision a major mistake. "There was no transparency, there was no communication about this," she said. "I suspect maybe they wrongly thought they could just make this decision and nobody would notice."

Blackburn said the board has participated in Capital Pride since 2011 and has, on several occasions, led the parade with students and staff carrying large Pride flags. She argued the timing is crucial given ongoing hostility toward LGBTQ+ communities. "As a school board, as a public entity, they have an obligation to be doubling down against that," she said.

The decision comes weeks after the board faced criticism for cancelling a planned drag storytime event at Mutchmor Public School in the Glebe. Blackburn said her greatest concern is the message it sends to young people. "For me, this is about making sure that students and staff don't have to live what I lived, because not being able to be your authentic self is very, very stressful," she said. She is calling on the OCDSB to reverse the decision.