Students want ‘no means no’ taught in classrooms

Monday morning, about 50 students from St. Catharines high schools walked out of class to protest against sexual violence, and to demand a change in the curriculum at both school boards.

Bronte Ibbotson, now in Grade 12 at Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School, said there were three protest sites in St. Catharines Monday, Eden High School, Sir Winston Churchill Collegiate and Denis Morris Catholic High School.

The former St. Michael Catholic Elementary School student called it a national protest, organized and recorded at @walkout4c on Instagram, and referred to herself as one of the organizers.

At 10 a.m.  Monday, “students walked out of school to protest against sexual violence and demand a change in the curriculum,” she said. 

“Students gathered to raise awareness about sexual assault and harassment. This protest was a call for action and change in our education systems. Consent education needs to be mandated in elementary and high schools.”

 Students from Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School, Eden High School, Laura Secord Secondary School, and St. Francis Catholic Secondary School joined forces in front of Eden, she said. She led the group, along with another student from Holy Cross, and two from Eden, and said they were the leaders in the online Instagram movement created last May, @projectbreakawayy.

“This account was created to raise awareness about gender-based violence and empower young students. It was also used to spread the word about the walkout,” she said.

“Our four main calls to action are: safe learning and living environments for all students; responsive and accountable administrations; mandatory consent education from Kindergarten to postsecondary; and to collect and publicize data on sexual assaults in educational institutions,” she said.

“Students just need to feel safe and heard,” said Ibbotson.

She told The Local students were coming and going from other schools, and given that it was put together quickly, “I was really pleased with the support we received.”

She was also pleased with the respectful behaviour of those protesting.

Last October, hundreds of students protested outside Sir Winston against a reported incident of sexual assault at the school, and what they felt was an inadequate response from school or board administration. 

That protest, which was much larger, got out of hand, said Ibbotson.

Jennifer Pellegrini, communications officer for the Niagara District Catholic School Board, said Tuesday, “We understand a number of our Niagara Catholic students attended a protest at Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School in St. Catharines yesterday. We are unaware of any other students participating.”

Niagara Catholic values student voices and encourages students to speak out when they see injustice, she said, adding, “It is our expectation that when students choose to participate in protests, they will conduct themselves in a way that appropriately represents their families and their schools, and are respectful of others.”

Pellegrini said she hadn’t heard of anything disrespectful or inappropriate at the protest. “It’s just a regular reminder that students are out in public, and that is the expectation.”

Ibbotson said she didn’t think there was inappropriate behaviour at either school. “I didn’t see anything vulgar at all. We just all came together in support of the cause, and it seemed like a really positive, peaceful event. We’re just asking for change.”

Although she wasn’t at the Sir Winston protest, she saw photos and signs, and talked to students who were there, and said she believes they too were respectful.

Another Holy Cross student at Eden’s protest spoke of a powerful message. “Today we stood together as students, and more importantly as a community, who have been directly and indirectly affected by the taboo surrounding SA awareness. It was so powerful to lead this movement,” said Fechi Onyegbule, in a statement to The Local.

Another also spoke about change. “I believe that when people come together as a community to implement change, it happens,” said Eden student Jenna Meier. “We might be younger, but that doesn’t mean we can’t use our voices,”

Eden student Marin Mclaughlin said students “have experienced second- and first-hand the underlying culture of disrespect in our community. We are not here to attack anyone or ‘out’ any abusers.” 

And they didn’t, said Ibbotson, reiterating there was no shaming or outing on signs or in chants.

Ibbotson says the students hope to continue to raise awareness and fight for consent education within schools across Canada. 

She’s been working on this since she was in elementary school, knowing students who suffered some degree of assault, she said.

“We are tired of being silenced. We just want change.”

Carolyn LoConte, communications officer for the District School Board of Niagara, said Eden principal Sharon Burns talked to the students outside her school.

The DSBN, LoConte says, supports students’ “democratic right to share their voices in a variety of ways, including holding a safe and respectful walk-out like students did yesterday.”

When Burns went to check on the students, they told her they appreciated her support, and talked about how they were showing their support for part of a national movement, LoConte said.

“At the DSBN, we are continuously working with students, staff, and external partners on ways we can take action to confront sexual violence in the community and in schools. We have and are implementing programs and strategies that are working towards building and sustaining positive school cultures.”

Ontario school curriculum is determined by the Ministry of Education, she added.