Catholic parents find trustee's transgender comments 'offensive'

Some parents whose children attend Catholic schools in LarryKowalczyk'sward say they're offended by the trustee's controversial comments that comparetransgenderpeople tothose with a "mental disorder."

Kowalczykmade the comparison during a CBC interview Tuesday, hours before trustees discussed a new policy that would supporttransgenderstudents.

• Education minister tells Catholic board to pass transgender policy
• Transgender students have 'mental disorder,' Edmonton Catholic school trustee says

The trustee isnow circulating anemaildefending his statements, saying his opinion is in line with religious doctrine.

"My Catholic commitment remains to respect the dignity of every child," he wrote.

MelaAsefa'sson attends St. Philip School inKowalczyk'sward. She had a strong reaction to his comments abouttransgenderpeople.

"That's offensive to hear," she said. "Very offensive. As a Christian, we should accept everybody."

Asefasaid she supports a board policy that wouldallow the seven-year-old transgendergirlat the centre of acontroversyto use the girl's washroom at school.

ParentApril ReyessaidKowalczyk'scomments are "not appropriate" and characterized opposition to the policy as "discrimination."

"I have friends who aretransgender," she said. "They can(use the washroom) wherever they want this is a free country."

DianneFedorakhas two grandchildren at St. Philip school.

"The most important person here is the child," she said. "However they are most comfortable is where they should be."

FiorePagliusohas two grandsons who attend schoolinKowalczyk'sward.He thinks the schoolshould have a separate washroom for the girl to use.

"It's a very hard issue," he said. "The whole world is changing. You have to go with the times."

Marni Panas, a Catholic transgender woman, has been active in supporting thetransgender girl.

An acrimonious public debate was triggered whenthe child sought permission to use the girls' washroom at herelementary school. The issue remains unsettled following a heated debate at aboard meeting Tuesday night where thenewpolicy on transgender studentswas being discussed

Panas wants Kowalczyk to resign.

"My thoughtright away is that this trustee is not capable of providing a safe place for students," she said.

"You can't hide discrimination under the guise of religion. It doesn't work in our society. It's not appropriate."

Education Minister David Eggen said Kowalczyk's commentswere disturbing.

"It wasn't helpful and I think that someone needs to have some serious reflection to what position they decide to put forward," Eggentold Edmonton AM host Mark Connolly Thursday.

AlthoughKowalczykwas elected as a trustee,Eggensaid the positioncomes with legalresponsibilities, including a duty to ensure a safe and caring learning environment for allstudents.

Eggenwarned the board will face consequences if they don't discuss thedraft policy governing transgender studentsin a respectful manner. On Edmonton AM,Eggen repeated his demand that trusteesdeal with theissueas soon as possible.

"Edmonton Catholic needs to do the right thing and put a coherent policy forward for transgender students," he said.

Kowalczyk has been at odds with his fellow trustees before.

In June 2012, he was officially sanctioned by the board for actions they believed to be in breach of his duties as a trustee, including swearing at the boardsuperintendent.

Earlier this year, he voted against a program that would help identify andsupport child victims of sex abuse because he saidthe program went against Catholic doctrine.