shnen
May 10th, 2002, 05:04 PM
Not sure if this is the right place... But I am soo happy for him!!!! :boing:
Gay couple can go to prom, judge rules!!!
Gay Oshawa teenager Marc Hall cannot be banned from taking his boyfriend to the prom at a Roman Catholic high school, a judge ruled today.
Hall, 17, was granted an injunction by the Superior Court of Justice allowing him to take his boyfriend, Jean-Paul Dumond, 21, to his prom tonight at Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic high school in Oshawa.
In his ruling, MacKinnon wrote that "the idea of equality speaks to the conscience of all humanity dignity and worth.
"Marc Hall is a Roman Catholic Canadian trying to be himself. He is gay. It's not an answer to Section 15 Charter rights on these facts to deny permission to attend a school function to celebrate the end of his high school career with his classmates."
Hall's lawyer David Corbett said the ruling tells Catholic schools "you can't disciminate on the basis of sexual orientation when you're dealing with young people. You shouldn't be able to do that with anybody, but especially not young people in their care."
Corbett said the judge's decision is only an interim ruling, but that the board has indicated it wants to argue its position in a trial. Corbett said Hall is prepared to do the same.
"We'll take it all the way to trial to get a clear precedent. We'll take it all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada if we have to."
Roger Hutchinson, a professor emeritus of theology at the University of Toronto, said he didn't think the decision would "open the flood gates" and make way for concrete change. But he said it would send a strong message that gay people have basic human rights that must be protected by public institutions.
"It will make all Catholic schools think twice before they make anti-gay decisions."
Hutchinson said Hall's case shows the climate for gays in the church is improving.
"The fact that the young person has streghth of conviction to take it this far, he must think he has a reasonable chance of winning. It's hard to imagine this happening 10 or 15 years ago."
Earlier this week, Peter Lauwers, a lawyer for the Durham Catholic School Board, told court the school board has the right under the Constitution to run its schools in accordance with Catholic teachings and if Hall doesn't like it he can go to a public school.
Lauwers called Hall a bad example, and said while the school board accepts gay people, they can't condone or allow homosexual behaviour at a school function.
Hall's lawyer David Corbett argued the board violated the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Education Act and the provincial Code of Conduct, which all bar discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.
Corbett argued the church's right to consider religious values when regulating students' conduct doesn't trump Hall's human rights.
His fight has drawn high-profile support from politicians, TV stars and union bosses.
Industry Minister Allan Rock wrote an open letter to the school board asking trustees to reverse the ban.
"I encourage you to set an example, for all Canadians, of social justice in action by not discriminating against a student based on sexual orientation," Rock wrote.
Hall was feted at a gay rights group gala on Parliament Hill last month.
Guy Gagnier, host of PrideVision TV's current affairs show Shout!, and actors Jack Wetherall and Sherry Miller from the popular television series Queer as Folk were there to offer support.
The cause has even vaulted Hall onto the small screen, with appearances on the reality show The Lofters and an upcoming episode of Queer as Folk.
By Amy Carmichael
Canadian Press
Gay couple can go to prom, judge rules!!!
Gay Oshawa teenager Marc Hall cannot be banned from taking his boyfriend to the prom at a Roman Catholic high school, a judge ruled today.
Hall, 17, was granted an injunction by the Superior Court of Justice allowing him to take his boyfriend, Jean-Paul Dumond, 21, to his prom tonight at Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic high school in Oshawa.
In his ruling, MacKinnon wrote that "the idea of equality speaks to the conscience of all humanity dignity and worth.
"Marc Hall is a Roman Catholic Canadian trying to be himself. He is gay. It's not an answer to Section 15 Charter rights on these facts to deny permission to attend a school function to celebrate the end of his high school career with his classmates."
Hall's lawyer David Corbett said the ruling tells Catholic schools "you can't disciminate on the basis of sexual orientation when you're dealing with young people. You shouldn't be able to do that with anybody, but especially not young people in their care."
Corbett said the judge's decision is only an interim ruling, but that the board has indicated it wants to argue its position in a trial. Corbett said Hall is prepared to do the same.
"We'll take it all the way to trial to get a clear precedent. We'll take it all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada if we have to."
Roger Hutchinson, a professor emeritus of theology at the University of Toronto, said he didn't think the decision would "open the flood gates" and make way for concrete change. But he said it would send a strong message that gay people have basic human rights that must be protected by public institutions.
"It will make all Catholic schools think twice before they make anti-gay decisions."
Hutchinson said Hall's case shows the climate for gays in the church is improving.
"The fact that the young person has streghth of conviction to take it this far, he must think he has a reasonable chance of winning. It's hard to imagine this happening 10 or 15 years ago."
Earlier this week, Peter Lauwers, a lawyer for the Durham Catholic School Board, told court the school board has the right under the Constitution to run its schools in accordance with Catholic teachings and if Hall doesn't like it he can go to a public school.
Lauwers called Hall a bad example, and said while the school board accepts gay people, they can't condone or allow homosexual behaviour at a school function.
Hall's lawyer David Corbett argued the board violated the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Education Act and the provincial Code of Conduct, which all bar discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.
Corbett argued the church's right to consider religious values when regulating students' conduct doesn't trump Hall's human rights.
His fight has drawn high-profile support from politicians, TV stars and union bosses.
Industry Minister Allan Rock wrote an open letter to the school board asking trustees to reverse the ban.
"I encourage you to set an example, for all Canadians, of social justice in action by not discriminating against a student based on sexual orientation," Rock wrote.
Hall was feted at a gay rights group gala on Parliament Hill last month.
Guy Gagnier, host of PrideVision TV's current affairs show Shout!, and actors Jack Wetherall and Sherry Miller from the popular television series Queer as Folk were there to offer support.
The cause has even vaulted Hall onto the small screen, with appearances on the reality show The Lofters and an upcoming episode of Queer as Folk.
By Amy Carmichael
Canadian Press