A 17-year-old college student was suspended from Stonewall College for expressing why she would not be wearing an LGBT-affirming pin.
Canada’s traditional reminder of veterans and people that have given their lives for their country is wearing a fabric red poppy. Sales of this pin go to a charity that provides financial assistance to veterans. A rainbow poppy is now being sold to supposedly honor fallen LGBT soldiers.
Natalie, the student that was suspended, told the Post Millenial:
“It all started when teachers, counselors, and some students said we should wear the rainbow poppy.
She then wrote down some of her, her peers’, and some on social media’s opinions on wearing the rainbow poppy, printed the pages and taped them up in the hallways.
“As I was putting them up, teachers were taking them down. I watched as they took them to the office and gave them to the secretary. They accused me of hate speech and endangering the physical safety of the group of individuals [LGBT students]. They asked me what I was thinking, and I told them everything … I said I was just voicing my beliefs and morals.”
The vice-principal and the principal of the school reportedly confronted Natalie and began to yell at her. “I got to the point of almost crying but I didn’t. I had to be the voice for all those families who were greatly disrespected and offended.”
While trying to record the altercation between herself and the principals Natalie had her phone confiscated and was suspended until after Remembrance Day (November 11th).
Natalie’s father confirmed that her phone was confiscated when he picked her up from the school after receiving her suspension notice. The school cited “hate speech” as the reason for Natalie’s suspension.
Natalie is the cousin of former Conservative MP hopeful in the 2019 federal election, Cyara Bird.
The Royal Canadian Legion official position is that altering the poppy is a sign of disrespect: “The poppy is the sacred symbol of remembrance and should not be defaced in any way.”
