The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB) has officially banned the display of the Pride flag in all Catholic schools in Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon, and Orangeville—both inside and outside school buildings.
During a board meeting on January 28, trustees voted not only to uphold their existing ban on raising the Pride flag outside schools but also to prohibit its display inside schools at any time. Previously, the flag was permitted to be displayed indoors during Pride Month in June.
The decision followed intense debate, with strong arguments from both sides of the issue.
Former Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, who previously served as the province’s Minister of Education, urged the board to embrace inclusivity, emphasizing that Catholic schools are publicly funded and should represent all students.
“The time for total inclusivity has arrived at all schools,” Wynne told trustees.
However, Father Marcin Serwin, speaking on behalf of Cardinal Frank Leo, Archbishop of Toronto, defended the decision from a religious standpoint, arguing that Catholic identity should not be tied to secular symbols.
“It is absolutely absurd to suggest that unless one embraces secular symbols, one cannot be inclusive or accepting. That is simply not true and therefore not Catholic,” Father Serwin stated.
Under the new policy, only the Canadian flag, the Ontario flag, and the DPCDSB flag will be permitted at the 151 schools and board facilities serving 73,000 students in the region.
A separate motion proposing to allow the display of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation flag and the Every Child Matters flag on certain school flagpoles was also defeated.
The board’s decision has already sparked controversy, with advocates of LGBTQ+ inclusivity voicing concerns about the message it sends to students, while supporters argue that the move reinforces the school system’s Catholic identity.