Every parent I have talked to on this campaign wants the same thing. They want their child to walk into school in the morning and feel safe enough to learn. That shared hope is the heart of SOGI, and since it comes up often, I want to explain it plainly.
What SOGI is
SOGI stands for sexual orientation and gender identity. Everyone has both, so the term covers every student in every classroom.
In 2016, the BC Ministry of Education asked every public school district and independent school to update their anti-bullying policies to include explicit protection based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This brought school codes of conduct in line with the BC Human Rights Code. That is the policy.
SOGI 123 is something separate. It is a set of resources teachers can use to make classrooms more welcoming, developed with the Ministry, the BC Teachers’ Federation, UBC’s Faculty of Education and school districts. All 60 BC school districts take part in the network, and teachers are not required to use the materials.
What SOGI isn’t
- It is not a separate curriculum. There is no “SOGI class” or “SOGI unit.”
- It is not sex education. Sexual health has long been its own part of the provincial Physical and Health Education curriculum.
- It is not hidden from parents. The SOGI 123 resources are online, including a section written for families.
How it fits SD43’s Directions 2030
Our district’s strategic plan, Directions 2030, includes a goal called Safe and Caring Environments. It focuses on wellbeing and belonging, equity and inclusion, and raising resilient, caring students. It commits to making sure every student is connected to a trusted adult, and to giving families real ways to shape that work through surveys, forums and advisory groups.
SOGI-inclusive practice is one part of that bigger picture. So is anti-bullying work for kids who are teased because of their faith, their culture, their size or a disability. The principle is the same: no child should dread going to school and all children should feel included.
Where I stand
I support SOGI-inclusive education. I believe it is an important part of making our schools places where every child belongs, alongside our work to support students with disabilities, newcomer families, Indigenous learners and kids of every faith and background.
Trustees do not write SOGI policy. The province does. A trustee’s job is to make sure policies are carried out well, that resources are used thoughtfully, and that parents are treated as partners.
If you have questions about what your child is learning, you deserve clear answers from your school, not labels or assumptions. I will always encourage that conversation. I believe we can respect families and protect every child at the same time, and that kids who feel safe do better in reading, math and everything else we ask of them.
With collaboration and thanks,
Tracy Green
Candidate for School Trustee
