The National “Pride” Flag Walk-Out Day is returning for a third year, running from Friday, May 30, to Monday, June 2. This grassroots initiative began in 2023 as a response from concerned parents across Canada who oppose increasing and unchecked gender ideology indoctrination in schools and the proliferation of sexually explicit material in school libraries and as “teacher resources”. The protest involves keeping children home on the first days of Pride Month to send a message to school officials and trustees.
The inaugural 2023 walk-out saw unexpectedly high participation, with absence rates ranging from 30% to 75% in various regions. Schools in Windsor, Ottawa, and Oakville reported significant student absences, some exceeding 60%. In total, at least seven provinces and territories were involved (BC, AB, SK, ON, QC, NB, YK).
Northwood Public School in Windsor, Ontario saw 600 out of its 800 students stay home on the first day of “2SLGBTQI+ Pride Month”. The President of the local teachers’ union admitted to the CBC that multiple Windsor-area schools had greater than 50% absence rates.
In Ottawa, two schools experienced greater than 60% absence rate, and more than 40% of the desks were empty in nine other schools. In Oakville, ON up to 30% of students in some schools stayed home in protest of schools raising the “Pride” flag.
In 2024, the momentum continued, and the campaign led to real policy discussions. The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board passed a ban on the Pride flag, while similar motions were considered in York Region and Waterloo Region.
The walk-out is a growing movement of parents taking a stand against radical sexual programming and an unacceptable level of political activism in schools. Organizers hope the 2025 event will further that message and continue to pressure educational institutions to reconsider their approach.
Letter To Send in Support
If you have school-aged children, please consider keeping them home this Friday and/or Monday. As June 1st falls on the weekend, you can confirm the flag-raising date with your school’s Principal.
Further, we highly recommend emailing your school board this excellent letter, contributed by a parent in Ottawa. Whether you have school-aged children or not, our public education system needs to maintain the trust of the Canadian public and support national unity, rather than divide us. Send this letter to the Director of Education, your Trustee and your local school’s Principal.
Dear [school administrator],
As social division continues to be manifested on the streets and campuses of our country, I wanted to make a short appeal to the [school board] to be a leader in efforts to reunify our society.
With the growing number of ethnocultural and sociopolitical special interest groups looking to promote their causes, the potential for social tensions, including in the public school system, is only increasing.
Given this, the recent trend of flying special interest group flags on public and school property must end.
Flying special interest group flags, of any kind, risks dividing communities. It also violates the principle of political neutrality, a cornerstone of Canadian public institutions, including the public school system.
I would encourage the board to begin the practice of flying only the unifying Canadian and provincial flags on [school board] property.
Signed,
Christianity claimed biology was up to the students to believe; while Gender Ideology claims students can choose their own biology.
The stupid and dangerous has to be stopped.
Gender Ideology is anti-female and anti-sexual orientation, while it favours pedophiles
I have several Grandchildren who deserve Better than what is being shoved down their throats. I encourage All concerned parents & family to consider this walk out as a RIGHT ~~~~~~to say NO to the transgender/woke agenda
It is deeply gratifying to support this initiative. I’d been wracking my brain as to how to combat this pride phenomenon beyond simply showing up to protest at flag raising ceremonies. Let’s keep up the pressure.
As a parent and legal guardian, I am deeply alarmed by the increasing trend of teachers and administrators encouraging students — including minors — to accept, affirm, and promote subjective gender identities, while discouraging critical discussion or alternate views grounded in science, personal beliefs, or family values.
This is not education — it is ideological indoctrination, and it is not within your lawful mandate.
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1. The BC School Act – Parental Authority and Transparency
Section 7 of the British Columbia School Act clearly affirms that parents are entitled to “be informed of their child’s attendance, behavior and progress in school,” and are encouraged to participate in decisions affecting their child’s education.
Further, Section 76(1) of the Act mandates that all instruction in BC public schools must be “secular and non-sectarian.” Promoting gender identity as a fixed truth or moral imperative — especially when tied to emotional validation, social transitioning, or suppression of biological discussion — constitutes a breach of this section. It introduces personal belief systems into classrooms under the banner of “equity” and “inclusion.”
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2. Charter Rights – Parental Direction and Freedom of Belief
As upheld by Section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, parents have the constitutional right to make decisions concerning the care, education, and moral upbringing of their children. In the Supreme Court case Chamberlain v. Surrey School District No. 36 (2002), the Court confirmed the importance of accommodating parental rights and protecting children from imposed ideological perspectives without proper consultation.
By allowing — or in some cases mandating — that students use preferred pronouns, affirm gender identities in conflict with their biological sex, and suppress dissenting views, your school may be violating both Section 7 and Section 2(a) of the Charter, which guarantees freedom of conscience and belief.
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3. Lack of Parental Notification and Consent
Numerous BC school districts have been found to encourage or conceal “social transitions” of students (e.g., name/pronoun changes, gender identity changes) without informing parents. This practice is not only unethical — it may also breach privacy laws, duty of care, and the parent’s legal right to be fully involved in significant decisions concerning their child.
If a school encourages a minor to adopt a new identity without informing their guardian, this opens the institution to both moral and legal liability — including potential civil claims and Charter challenges.
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4. Final Notice
This is a formal request — and a warning.
Should this ideological approach continue to override biology, suppress discussion, and bypass parental authority, please be advised that formal complaints will be filed with:
• The BC Ministry of Education
• The BC Human Rights Tribunal
• The Office of the Ombudsperson
• The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC
• And, if necessary, civil court proceedings will be explored.
Schools are meant to teach children how to think, not what to think. You do not have the authority to rewrite reality, interfere with parental rights, or use vulnerable students as ideological pawns.
We are not asking for special treatment — we are demanding lawful conduct and educational integrity.
Sincerely,
A Concerned Parent Prepared to Act