PARKDALE – North Nova Education Centre students took to the streets yesterday to raise awareness of gays and lesbians and their place in the school and society.
Student organizers said they were trying to bring their issue to the spotlight to address what they see as unequal treatment in the school and community as a whole.
"Lots of people are scared to come out. School is kind of a second home. What if you don't have support at home?" asked Lauren Perry, one of the organizers.
Fellow organizer Molly Cornett said they want to activate an advocacy group at North Nova.
"We are going to work on the GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) and keep awareness in school and the community. We want to get as many people included as we can. We are getting some of the teachers involved."
Students said they received plenty of support from the public and from fellow students, and a Facebook group (Support the Gays of Pictou County) had drawn a lot of interest as well.
Organizer Alishia Best said the GSA is for all students, as the name implies. "We want the GSA to be part of the school. It's not just gay people, we want to protect students."
She said the group on the sidewalk across from North Nova was made up of students of all sexual orientations.
Organizer Kait Thoms said there were about 30 students when the demonstration began and their numbers swelled as the day went on. At one point they took their demonstration to East River Road.
Early in the day the demonstrators met with school principal Eileen English to discuss their plans and concerns.
The students said English was "fair, very fair" and addressed their awareness issues.
For her part, English said she supported the students fully. "They have made their point. We expect all students and staff to be treated with respect and dignity… I've made a commitment to them to getting that (GSA) up and running again…It takes a lot of courage to come forward. That's why I'm more than willing to help them with their cause."
English said the students were offered use of the school's stage for their demonstration but eventually they decided to move outdoors. She added that all the students are expected back in school today.
"They have been very respectful, they haven't been disrupting traffic," English said.