School District 36 Surrey
Encyclopedia
School District 36 Surrey operates schools in Surrey
, White Rock
, and Barnston Island
, British Columbia
. It is the largest school district in British Columbia with 66,100 students during the 2005/2006 school year. District 36 includes 99 elementary schools, 20 secondary schools, and 6 learning centres. The first school in Surrey opened in 1882.
Chimney Hill Elementary School, at 14755 74 Avenue is a K-7 school. As of September 20th, 2011, the school has 708 students, with 29 divisions, out of which 25 are from Grade 1 to 7; and 4 are Kindergarten classes. The Principal is Mr. C. S. Baldry, and Vice Principal is Ms. K. Addie.
Chimney Hill was built in 2000 as a result of the development in the area.
Discovery Elementary School, at 13104 109 Ave is a K-7 school with 133 students as of 16 January 2006. The Principal is Ms. C. Graham.
Discovery was founded about forty years ago by parents and teachers and is based on the Adlarian philosophy. In its early days, the school had a strong parent involvement in learning and students often learned in alternative environments including field-trips and museums, and doctoral-level educators were sometimes brought in. The classroom setting at Discovery has no desks, instead students sit in a circle on the floor, to give a sense of equality and to facilitate eye-contact and communication. There are, however, chairs in the computer room and sofas in the library.
Various school districts in the province are facing difficulties due to reduced funding from the BC Ministry of Education. The Surrey School District is one of few in the province that is experiencing an increase in enrollment.
teacher
, to reflect on the realities of today's families and to teach his pupils about diversity and tolerance
.
A legal battle to overturn the decision to ban the three books went all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada
, where the school board's decision was overturned. The judgment, Chamberlain v. Surrey School District No. 36
, cited the need for families headed by same-sex couples to be respected. Chief Justice
Beverley McLachlin
dismissed the Board's concerns that child
ren would be confused or misled by classroom
information about same-sex parents. She pointed out that the children of same-sex parents
are rubbing shoulders with children from more traditional families and wrote: "Tolerance
is always age-appropriate, children cannot learn unless they are exposed to views that differ from those they are taught at home." The legal fees ended up costing Surrey taxpayers over $1,200,000.
, a play that deals with the murder of a gay university student, in one of its secondary schools, Elgin Park Secondary, causing outrage from LGBT advocacy organization Egale Canada
. A Vancouver
school, Lord Byng
, located in the neighbouring Vancouver School District subsequently chose to stage the play.
's global warming documentary An Inconvenient Truth
until trustees are able to review the film. Trustee Heather Stilwell
said she's not sold on the theory of global warming: "I am not sure. I mean I see evidence. I think there is climate change, there's no question about that. Whether what Al Gore says about it is the truth, I have questions."
A complaint was filed with the BC Human Rights Tribunal; however, Mr. Jubenvill withdrew the complaint because he felt that the resulting media attention and the reaction it generated did not accurately represent his intentions.
He plans to meet with the school and the district in person.
Some secondary schools in School District 36 have, or have had, overtly Christian clubs (for example, LA Matheson has a prayer club titled "PUSH", Semiahmoo Secondary had a Crossroad Christian club in 2008 and earlier years, and Fraser Heights Secondary had a Bible Club in 2007).
Surrey, British Columbia
Surrey is a city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is a member municipality of Metro Vancouver, the governing body of the Greater Vancouver Regional District...
, White Rock
White Rock, British Columbia
White Rock is a city in British Columbia, Canada, that lies within the Metro Vancouver regional district. It borders Semiahmoo Bay and is surrounded on three sides by the City of Surrey, British Columbia. To the south lies the Semiahmoo First Nation, which is within the city limits of Surrey...
, and Barnston Island
Barnston Island, British Columbia
Barnston Island is an unincorporated island located in the Greater Vancouver metropolitan area of British Columbia, Canada. Most of the island is part of the Greater Vancouver Electoral Area A; the remainder is Barnston Island Indian Reserve No...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. It is the largest school district in British Columbia with 66,100 students during the 2005/2006 school year. District 36 includes 99 elementary schools, 20 secondary schools, and 6 learning centres. The first school in Surrey opened in 1882.
School board
The current school board was elected in November 2008 for a three year term.- Laurae McNally
- Shawn Wilson
- Terry Allen
- Laurie Larsen
- Reni Masi
- Ijaz Chatta
- Pam Glass
Elementary schools
| School | Location | Grades | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A H P Matthew Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| A J McLellan Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Anniedale Traditional School | Surrey | K-7 | closed in 2010 | |
| Bayridge Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Bear Creek Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | Opened 1964. As of 2009, the Principal is Christoper Zimich. | |
| Beaver Creek Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Berkshire Park Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | Opened 21 March 1989. Expanded 2000. Principal is Angelo R. Morelli. | |
| Betty Huff Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | Opened 1976. | |
| Bonaccord Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Bothwell Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Boundary Park Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Bridgeview Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Brookside Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Cambridge Elementary School Cambridge Elementary School Cambridge Elementary School, located in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, is an elementary school and is a member of the local School District 36 Surrey.- Notable people :... |
Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Cedar Hills Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Chantrell Creek Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Chimney Hill Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | Chimney Hill Elementary | |
| Cindrich Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Clayton Elementary School | Surrey | 4-7 | ||
| Cloverdale Traditional School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Coast Meridian Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Colebrook Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Cougar Creek Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Coyote Creek Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Creekside Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Crescent Park Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| David Brankin Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Discovery Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Dogwood Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Don Christian Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Dr F D Sinclair Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| East Clayton Elementary School | Surrey | K-3 | ||
| East Kensington Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Ecole Riverdale Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Ellendale Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Erma Stephenson Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Fleetwood Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Forsyth Road Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Fraser Wood Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Frost Road Elementary School Frost Road Elementary Frost Road Elementary School is a public elementary school in Surrey, British Columbia part of the School District 36 Surrey.-See also:*School District 36 Surrey... |
Surrey | K-7 | ||
| George Greenaway Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Georges Vanier | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Grandview Heights Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Green Timbers Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | Founded 1994. Enrollment 787. Principal is Glen Hilder. | |
| H T Thrift Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Halls Prairie Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Harold Bishop Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Hazelgrove Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | Opened in 2009. | |
| Henry Bose Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Hillcrest Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | Hillcrest Elementary opened in 2000 with approximately 400 students. That number has increased by 222 in the past eight years by 2008, although Hazelgrove Elementary took a few students out of the school. The principal was D. White, who retired in 2009. The school is currently in its tenth year. | |
| Hjorth Road Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Holly Elementary | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Hyland Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| J T Brown Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| James Ardiel Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | Approximately 500 students enrolled to James Ardiel. | |
| Janice Churchill Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | Enrolls approximately 400 students.The principal of Janice Churchill is Mr.C.R. Angeltvedt.Janice Churchill Elementary School is located in the centre of Surrey, BC. Janice Churchill Elementary is named after a highly respected teacher who lost her battle to skin cancer at a young age. Their mascot is a Cheetah. | |
| Jessie Lee Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| K B Woodward Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Kennedy Trail Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Kensington Prairie Elementary School Kensington Prairie Elementary School Kensington Prairie Elementary School was a public elementary school, situated in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, that was part of School District 36 Surrey. It operated from 1887 until 2006... |
Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Kirkbride Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Laronde Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Latimer Road Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Lena Shaw Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| M B Sanford Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Maple Green Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Martha Currie Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Martha Jane Norris Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Mary Jane Shannon Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| McLeod Road Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Morgan Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Mountainview Montessori School Mountainview Montessori School Mountainview Montessori is a public elementary school in Surrey, British Columbia part of School District 36 Surrey. It is the only publicly funded “single track” Montessori programme in Surrey. It was originally established at the historic Tynehead Elementary School in 1990 and moved to the new... |
Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Newton Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| North Ridge Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Ocean Cliff Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | School opened in September, 1990. | |
| Old Yale Road Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Pacific Heights Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | Opened in 2006. Their mascot is a phoenix. | |
| Panorama Park Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Peace Arch Elementary School | White Rock | K-7 | ||
| Port Kells Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Prince Charles Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | Their mascot is the Griffin. | |
| Ray Shepherd Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Riverdale Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Royal Heights Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | Founded in 1966 by anthropologist and vocalist Adam R. Knowles. The principal is R. Holman and enrolment about 250. Their mascot is the lion. | |
| Semiahmoo Trail Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Senator Reid Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | Founded 1961, principal is H Schnee. Also, lead singer for the band Hedley Jacob Hoggard attended Senator Reid when he was in Elementary School. He graduated from L.A Matheson in 2002. | |
| Serpentine Heights Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Simon Cunningham Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| South Meridian Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Strawberry Hill Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | Strawberry Hill Elementary is a learning community with 570 students, 378 families and 58 staff members.Over the past years, the community has evolved into one consisting largely of Indo-Canadian and Pak -Canadian families. Most of the students speak Punjabi, English, Urdu or Hindi, with the others remaining students speaking a variety of other different languages. strawberry hill elementary opened in 1983 and still is open this recent year | |
| Sullivan Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Sunnyside Elementary | Surrey | K-7 | Sunnyside Elementary is a dual-track school that offers a Montessori program and a neighbourhood program in South Surrey. | |
| Sunrise Ridge Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Surrey Centre Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| T E Scott Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| W E Kinvig Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Walnut Road Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Westerman Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| White Rock Elementary School | White Rock | K-7 | ||
| William F. Davidson Elementary School William F. Davidson Elementary School William F. Davidson Elementary is a public elementary school in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. It is part of School District 36 Surrey.Principal: Mr.Ralph MoyVice Principal: Mrs.Deborah Thorvaldson-School Reports - Ministry of Education:* * * *... |
Surrey | K-7 | ||
| William Watson Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Woodward Hill Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 | ||
| Woodland Park Elementary School | Surrey | K-7 |
Chimney Hill Elementary School
49°8.2408′N 122°48.7432′WChimney Hill Elementary School, at 14755 74 Avenue is a K-7 school. As of September 20th, 2011, the school has 708 students, with 29 divisions, out of which 25 are from Grade 1 to 7; and 4 are Kindergarten classes. The Principal is Mr. C. S. Baldry, and Vice Principal is Ms. K. Addie.
Chimney Hill was built in 2000 as a result of the development in the area.
Discovery Elementary School
49°12′1.8"N 122°51′32.2"WDiscovery Elementary School, at 13104 109 Ave is a K-7 school with 133 students as of 16 January 2006. The Principal is Ms. C. Graham.
Discovery was founded about forty years ago by parents and teachers and is based on the Adlarian philosophy. In its early days, the school had a strong parent involvement in learning and students often learned in alternative environments including field-trips and museums, and doctoral-level educators were sometimes brought in. The classroom setting at Discovery has no desks, instead students sit in a circle on the floor, to give a sense of equality and to facilitate eye-contact and communication. There are, however, chairs in the computer room and sofas in the library.
Secondary schools and other programs
| School | Location | Grades | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adolescent Psychiatric Unit Program (Surrey) | Surrey | ||
| Clayton Heights Secondary School Clayton Heights Secondary School Clayton Heights Secondary is a public high school in Surrey, British Columbia and is a part of School District 36 Surrey.-Location:The school is set back on the west side of 188th St. The closest major intersection is 188th St... |
Surrey | 8-12 | Clayton Heights opened in 1999 with 1,000 students enrolled. Since then the student population has increased to 1,325. Former principal was E. Kosty who retired in 2007, and K. Farrell took his place in the 2007/2008 school year. The school is currently in its thirteenth year, and K. Farrell retired in June 2011. Current principal is Mrs. Henriques. |
| Cloverdale Learning Centre Cloverdale Learning Centre Cloverdale Learning Centre is a public high school in Surrey, British Columbia part of School District 36 Surrey. It is a storefront school providing an alternative schooling option.... |
Surrey | 10-12 | |
| Continuing Ed SD 36 School | Surrey | 11-12 | |
| Daughters and Sisters(PLEA)Program | Surrey | ||
| Earl Marriott Secondary School Earl Marriott Secondary School Earl Marriott Secondary is a public high school in the Vancouver suburb of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada and is part of School District 36 Surrey. It is referred to as the 'Home of the Mariners'. It is located on the edge of city limits, on 16 Avenue... |
Surrey | 8-12 | |
| Elgin Park Secondary School Elgin Park Secondary School Elgin Park Secondary is a public high school in School District 36 Surrey. It is referred to as the 'Home of the Orcas'.- Academics :Elgin Park Secondary offers the Integrated Program, as well as the Science Co-op and Humanities Co-op programs... |
Surrey | 8-12 | |
| Enver Creek Secondary School Enver Creek Secondary School Enver Creek Secondary School is a public high school in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada and is part of the School District 36 Surrey.-Provincial AAA Senior Boys' Soccer Champions, November 26, 2011:... |
Surrey | 8-12 | |
| Fleetwood Park Secondary School Fleetwood Park Secondary School Fleetwood Park Secondary is a public high school in Surrey, British Columbia part of School District 36 Surrey. The school ranked 55 of 316 according to the Fraser Institute Studies in Education Policy in 2007–2008.-Academics:... |
Surrey | 8-12 | |
| Frank Hurt Secondary School Frank Hurt Secondary School Frank Hurt Secondary is a public high school in Surrey, British Columbia part of School District 36 Surrey. The school's mascot is a Hornet, with the team and school colors consisting of black, white and golden yellow.... |
Surrey | 8-12 | |
| Fraser Heights Secondary School Fraser Heights Secondary School Fraser Heights Secondary is a public high school in Surrey, British Columbia part of School District 36 Surrey. Around the school is a vast park area, a large field as well as the Fraser Heights Recreation Centre. The school is known for its high academic reputation in various subjects as well as... |
Surrey | 8-12 | |
| Guildford Learning Centre | Surrey | 10-12 | |
| Guildford Park Secondary School Guildford Park Secondary School Guildford Park Secondary is a public high school in Surrey, British Columbia part of School District 36 Surrey. Guildford Park offers academic courses as part of the Advanced Placement program... |
Surrey | 8-12 | |
| Invergarry Learning Centre | Surrey | 10 | |
| Johnston Heights Secondary School Johnston Heights Secondary School Johnston Heights Secondary is a public high school in Surrey, British Columbia and is part of School District 36 Surrey.The newest building was built in 1991. Johnston Heights' exterior highly resembles that of its neighbouring high school, North Surrey Secondary School. The Canadian government... |
Surrey | 8-12 | |
| Kwantlen Park Secondary School Kwantlen Park Secondary School École Kwantlen Park Secondary School is a public high school in Surrey, British Columbia part of School District 36 Surrey. Kwantlen Park Secondary was named after the park it sits beside. Approval was required from the Kwantlen First Nation in order to use their name... (Inter-A Inter-A Inter-A is one of the many options available to high school students in British Columbia, Canada. The program is based on leadership and is available to students in grades 7-12. Inter-A is situated within Kwantlen Park Secondary School which is part of School District 36 Surrey.-History:The Inter-A... ) |
Surrey | 7-12 | |
| L A Matheson Secondary School L A Matheson Secondary School L A Matheson Secondary School is a public high school in Surrey, British Columbia and is part of School District 36 Surrey. The school opened in 1969 as a junior secondary school as a feeder to Queen Elizabeth Secondary School but in 1998 became a full secondary school serving grades 8 through 12.-... |
Surrey | 8-12 | |
| Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary School Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary School Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary is a public high school in the Vancouver suburb of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada and is part of School District 36 Surrey. In September 1993, staff and students from Cloverdale Junior Secondary and Lord Tweedsmuir Senior Secondary joined together to form Lord Tweedsmuir... |
Surrey | 8-12 | |
| Newton Learning Centre | Surrey | 10-12 | |
| North Surrey Secondary School North Surrey Secondary School North Surrey Secondary is a public high school in Surrey, British Columbia and is part of School District 36 Surrey. The current structure dates from 1994, but the site has been in use since 1949. During the 1999-2000 year, a track was constructed on property north of the main building... |
Surrey | 8-12 | Opened in 1949, but the current structure has been in use since 1994. Principal is R. Puri, while vice principals are G. Sarmento and C. McLaughlin. |
| North Surrey Learning Centre | Surrey | 10-12 | |
| Panorama Ridge Secondary School Panorama Ridge Secondary School Panorama Ridge Secondary is a public high school in the Vancouver suburb of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada and is part of School District 36 Surrey. It has a French immersion program for students in grades 8-12 and approximately 20% of the school's students are enrolled in that program. The... |
Surrey | 8-12 | |
| Princess Margaret Secondary School Princess Margaret Secondary School Princess Margaret Secondary is a public high school in Surrey, British Columbia part of School District 36 Surrey. The school is notable in Surrey for its sports programs. The goals of Princess Margaret Secondary include increasing reading comprehension and increasing numeracy skills in Grade 8... |
Surrey | 8-12 | |
| Queen Elizabeth Secondary School Queen Elizabeth Secondary School Queen Elizabeth Secondary is a public high school in Surrey, British Columbia part of School District 36 Surrey. The school is named after Queen Elizabeth who visited Canada in 1939... |
Surrey | 8-12 | |
| Semiahmoo Secondary School Semiahmoo Secondary School Semiahmoo Secondary is a public high school in Surrey, British Columbia and is part of School District 36 Surrey. Founded in 1940 as the first senior secondary school in South Surrey, Semiahmoo spans grades 8 through 12. The school currently has a student population of 1481 and a faculty of 96,... |
Surrey | 8-12 | |
| Surrey Traditional School Surrey Traditional School Surrey Traditional School is a choice school in Surrey, British Columbia part of School District 36 Surrey. The school is organized in a K through grade 6 elementary school and a middle school grade 7. There use to be grade 8-12 but they couldn't afford the subjects for those grades so now there... |
Surrey | K-9 | |
| Surrey Connect Online School | Surrey | K-12 | |
| École Secondaire Sullivan Heights Secondary School | Surrey | 8-12 | |
| Student Support Centre | Surrey | 6-12 | |
| South Surrey White Rock Learning Centre South Surrey White Rock Learning Centre South Surrey White Rock Learning Centre is a public high school in Surrey, British Columbia part of School District 36 Surrey.... |
Surrey | 10-12 | |
| South Fraser Adolescent Day Treatment Program | Surrey | ||
| Tamanawis Secondary School Tamanawis Secondary School Tamanawis Secondary is a public high school in Surrey, British Columbia part of School District 36 Surrey.The school provides a lot of choice regarding subjects for its students... |
Surrey | 8-12 | |
| TREES Centre | Surrey | 8-10 | |
| Waypoint Substance Abuse House | Surrey |
Budget shortfall
The Surrey School District is facing a deficit of $12.3 million dollars for the 2010/2011 year. The district plans to hire fewer teachers and cut spending in the departments such as B.A.S.E.S programs, despite an increase in the number of students..Various school districts in the province are facing difficulties due to reduced funding from the BC Ministry of Education. The Surrey School District is one of few in the province that is experiencing an increase in enrollment.
Books
The Surrey school district was the focus of major media attention from 1997 to 2002. The board voted that books dealing with families where both parents were of the same sex not be included as optional learning resources. These books were requested by James Chamberlain, a kindergartenKindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, to reflect on the realities of today's families and to teach his pupils about diversity and tolerance
Toleration
Toleration is "the practice of deliberately allowing or permitting a thing of which one disapproves. One can meaningfully speak of tolerating, ie of allowing or permitting, only if one is in a position to disallow”. It has also been defined as "to bear or endure" or "to nourish, sustain or preserve"...
.
A legal battle to overturn the decision to ban the three books went all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada
Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
, where the school board's decision was overturned. The judgment, Chamberlain v. Surrey School District No. 36
Chamberlain v. Surrey School District No. 36
Chamberlain v. Surrey District School Board No. 36, [2002] 4 S.C.R. 710, 2002 SCC 86, was a case in which the Supreme Court of Canada held that a local school board could not impose its religious values by refusing to permit the use of books that sought to promote tolerance of same-sex...
, cited the need for families headed by same-sex couples to be respected. Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
Beverley McLachlin
Beverley McLachlin
Beverley McLachlin, PC is the Chief Justice of Canada, the first woman to hold this position. She also serves as a Deputy of the Governor General of Canada.-Early life:...
dismissed the Board's concerns that child
Child
Biologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
ren would be confused or misled by classroom
Classroom
A classroom is a room in which teaching or learning activities can take place. Classrooms are found in educational institutions of all kinds, including public and private schools, corporations, and religious and humanitarian organizations...
information about same-sex parents. She pointed out that the children of same-sex parents
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
are rubbing shoulders with children from more traditional families and wrote: "Tolerance
Toleration
Toleration is "the practice of deliberately allowing or permitting a thing of which one disapproves. One can meaningfully speak of tolerating, ie of allowing or permitting, only if one is in a position to disallow”. It has also been defined as "to bear or endure" or "to nourish, sustain or preserve"...
is always age-appropriate, children cannot learn unless they are exposed to views that differ from those they are taught at home." The legal fees ended up costing Surrey taxpayers over $1,200,000.
Drama
In 2005, the Surrey School Board once again made national news for prohibiting the production of The Laramie ProjectThe Laramie Project
The Laramie Project is a play by Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project about the reaction to the 1998 murder of University of Wyoming gay student Matthew Shepard in Laramie,...
, a play that deals with the murder of a gay university student, in one of its secondary schools, Elgin Park Secondary, causing outrage from LGBT advocacy organization Egale Canada
Egale Canada
Egale Canada is an advocacy organization founded in 1986 to advance equality for Canadian lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their families, across Canada....
. A Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
school, Lord Byng
Lord Byng Secondary School
Lord Byng Secondary School is a grade 8-12 school located in the West Point Grey neighbourhood on the west side of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
, located in the neighbouring Vancouver School District subsequently chose to stage the play.
Environment
In May 2007, the Surrey School Board made national news when it voted to instruct teachers not to show Al GoreAl Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
's global warming documentary An Inconvenient Truth
An Inconvenient Truth
An Inconvenient Truth is a 2006 documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim about former United States Vice President Al Gore's campaign to educate citizens about global warming via a comprehensive slide show that, by his own estimate, he has given more than a thousand times.Premiering at the...
until trustees are able to review the film. Trustee Heather Stilwell
Heather Stilwell
Heather Stilwell was a political activist and former school trustee in Surrey, British Columbia. A staunch Roman Catholic, she was well-known for her opinions opposing homosexuality, abortion, and sex education....
said she's not sold on the theory of global warming: "I am not sure. I mean I see evidence. I think there is climate change, there's no question about that. Whether what Al Gore says about it is the truth, I have questions."
Extra-Curricular Clubs
In early November, 2009, a Cloverdale father, Paul Jubenvill, requested an extra-curricular non-instructional voluntarily-attended Bible club during lunch-hour at his sons' school, Colebrook Elementary. The school would not permit the club on their property, and the Surrey School District supported the blockade. The father argued that this ban violates the provincial BC Human Rights Code by disallowing a normally available service, only on the grounds of discrimination against religion. The School District was concerned that permitting the club may give the appearance that the school endorses a particular religious ideology. Mr. Jubenvill argued that there is a difference between endorsing a faith versus "accommodating" spiritual needs.A complaint was filed with the BC Human Rights Tribunal; however, Mr. Jubenvill withdrew the complaint because he felt that the resulting media attention and the reaction it generated did not accurately represent his intentions.
He plans to meet with the school and the district in person.
Some secondary schools in School District 36 have, or have had, overtly Christian clubs (for example, LA Matheson has a prayer club titled "PUSH", Semiahmoo Secondary had a Crossroad Christian club in 2008 and earlier years, and Fraser Heights Secondary had a Bible Club in 2007).