Police barricade doors, trustees shut down meeting in response to ‘gender ideology’ protesters at Hamilton school board

Five uniformed police officers barricaded the doors of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board building Monday night during a board meeting that was attended by a disorderly group of protesters.

Trustees were eventually forced to pause the meeting and have police clear out all members of the public.

At least 70 people - about 40 in the audience and many more outside, flags and signs raised - arrived at the building to protest gender-inclusive policies in schools.

It's unclear whether the protest was directly related to a new procedure on gender identity and gender expression the board released on Friday.

Gender ideology does not belong in schools," read one sign.

The student version of the document includes provisions for gender-inclusive sports teams and washrooms at Hamilton public schools. Gender is fluid," the document reads, meaning it's up to students which gendered sports teams they play on and washrooms they use.

An individual's self-identification is the sole measure of their gender identity," the document reads. They may choose to use one, or both, gendered washrooms or change rooms, or the use of a private single stall facility."

Nothing related to the procedure was listed on the June 19 board agenda.

Throughout the meeting, protesters interrupted with comments and questions, holding signs to the tune of leave our kids alone."

At some point during the meeting, officers barricaded the front doors leaving a crowd with flags and signs outside the board office.

After an overtly transphobic sign was raised by a spectator in the second row, chair Dawn Danko shut down the meeting and asked security to clear the gallery.

This is hate speech we will not tolerate in our boardroom," Danko said, before asking security to clear the gallery at around 8:30 p.m.

Leave our kids alone, leave our kids alone," the audience chanted as trustees and staff left the room to eventually continue their meeting elsewhere in the building.

Several protesters refused to leave at security's request and were escorted out by a police liaison team about an hour later.

Similar protests have been seen at school boards in Niagara, York and Ottawa in recent weeks.

Kate McCullough is an education reporter at The Spectator. kmccullough@thespec.com