Trustees at the York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) officially voted against flying the Pride flag outside its Catholic Education Centre in Aurora on Monday night. 

The decision follows months of contentious meetings — at least three of which resulted in police being called — over the issue of raising the rainbow flag during Pride month in June. 

Wow, #YCDSB.

What a shame. #onted

— Muna Kadri (@munakadri) May 30, 2023

Verbal reactions, from both sides of the heated debate, were heard as trustees with the board voted 6—4 against flying the flag at the end of the meeting. 

Chair Frank Alexander (who voted against the motion) ordered several individuals who expressed their disappointment with the decision to be escorted out by security.

Response from the gallery following the YCDSB vote against raising the Pride Flag pic.twitter.com/D8ChF2K4sp

— Michelle Mackey (@michellemackey) May 30, 2023

Following a particularly intense meeting at the end of April over the same issue, the YCDSB amped up security during Monday night's meeting and warned attendees that there would be "increased security and the police will be present to assist if needed." 

YCDSB's Code of Conduct calls for respecting differences in people, ideas & opinions, and being courteous & polite. The public may attend Board Meetings but do not have the right to participate in discussion and debate, and may not address the Board of Trustees during a meeting.

— York Catholic District School Board (@YCDSB) May 26, 2023

People who attended the meeting were also asked to sign in, provide government ID at the door, and were given a letter that outlined the code of conduct. 

Soon after the motion was defeated, York Region's chapter of the volunteer-led LGBTQ2 support, resource and education network, Pflag, condemned the decision, writing that "the school board is unsafe for York Region's LGBTQ2IA+ community." 

York Catholic's decision as a public school board not to fly the Pride flag is a red flag that a majority of its trustees & the school board do not & cannot understand the depth of the systemic homophobia & transphobia there.@Sflecce should intervene as he did in Peel DSB. pic.twitter.com/0n8hucoR1E

— Paolo De Buono, 🌈 #BLM, MSc, JD, OCT (@misterdebuono) May 30, 2023

"The most prevalent argument against last night's motion to raise the Progress Pride Flag was the idea that raising a flag won't fix the problems LGBTQ2IA+ students face within the board," a statement from Pflag reads. 

Shame on them. Small minded and hateful.

— Deb Young (@Deborah96915516) May 30, 2023

"Others belittled our Progress Pride Flag, calling it just a piece of fabric with no ties to our movement. These comments lack a true understanding of our community despite the learning trustees claimed to undertake," the statement continues. 

That’s disgusting, catholic schools in Ontario are fully funded by tax payers , it’s not a private school system. It should be defunded.

— 🇨🇦Annie🇨🇦 (@annie_horton50) May 30, 2023

"This leaves us with no alternative but to recommend that LGBTQ2IA+ students, their parents & caregivers, and any LGBTQ2IA+ community member seeking employment with the YCDSB consider they may encounter situations which do not affirm their identity." 

I hope all of you watching the absolute craziness at the YCDSB board meeting are getting a small taste of what our 2SLGBTQ have to deal with on a daily basis. Shameful

— Dina Mayr (she/her) (@dina_mayr) May 30, 2023

The decision was also criticized by former Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne, who called the move "a cowardly, shameful decision," that "emboldens and validates homophobia and transphobia." 

If the motion had passed, the Pride flag to be flown outside the board's Catholic Education Centre was to be the Progress Pride flag, which was designed in 2018 by graphic designer Daniel Quasar. 

The flag adds five arrow-shaped lines to the six-coloured rainbow flag, and includes black and brown strips to represent marginalized LGBTQ+ communities of colour, along with the colours pink, light blue and white to represent the Transgender Pride Flag.