Angela Kennedy, Toronto Catholic school board's new chair, won't say 'gay-straight alliance'

The new chair of Toronto's Catholic District School Board mentioned the board's"mental health strategy" Wednesdayin response to a questionabout whether gay-straight alliance groups should be allowed in schools.

Angela Kennedy, a 15-year trustee who was named chair Monday after running unopposed, made the comments in an interview with Matt Galloway on CBC radio'sMetro Morning. She didn't use the words "gay-straight alliance" in her response.

• Listen to the Metro Morning interview here

Here's how the section of the interview unfolded:

Galloway: "You have said in past that you have opposed gay-straight alliances. Do you think they belong in Catholic schools?"

Kennedy: "I think that we have supportive programs for students and I think students need to have these supportive clubs."

Galloway: "Does that include a gay-straight alliance?"

Kennedy: "We have different clubs in all of our schools and our secondary school students benefit from them. We have a mental health strategy."

Galloway: "I think it's notable listeners would probably be able to figure out that you're not saying 'gay-straight alliance.'Do you think that gay-straight alliances belong in Catholic schools?"

Kennedy: "Matt, we have supportive clubs in our secondary schools. I think our students are benefiting from them. I hear very good things about the clubs that are running in all of our schools."

Kennedy's answersdrew criticismfrom some Metro Morning listeners:

An Ontario government anti-bullying bill, passed in 2012, removedthe right for all schools in Ontarioincluding Catholic schoolsto disallow students from forming gay-straight alliance groups.

Kennedy was also asked about how the board would implement Ontario's new health and physical education curriculum. The curriculum, which includes some lessons on sex education, has been criticized by Kennedy and opposed by some parents.

Galloway asked if the curriculum should be taught in Catholic schools.

"Oh definitely There are some very valuable learning that needs to happen around thecurriculum," she said.

Earlier this year, Kennedy had said that substantial portions of the curriculum "contradict Catholic teachings."When asked whichportions of the curriculum did so, she declined to give specifics.

"I'm going to wait to hear from the parents," she said. "I'm looking forward to the consultations.I'm looking forward to seeing what resources the Institute for Catholic Education is going to provide us so that we can deliver the curriculum with a Catholic lens," she said.

The boardis facing a $16-million deficit. Kennedy said she will make an effort to reduce that number without negatively affecting student learning.

"It's about re-prioritizing," she said. "We want to make sure our students have the best learning environment."