[Wamvan] Toronto school segregating girls with periods

[Joanna Chiu]

WTF!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shelby Knox, Change.org <mail at change.org>
Date: Wed, Jul 20, 2011 at 12:45 PM
Subject: Toronto school segregating girls with periods
To: chiu.joanna5 at gmail.com


         [image: Change.org]

*Tell Toronto Schools: Don't segregate menstruating
girls<http://www.change.org/petitions/dont-segregate-menstruating-girls-in-public-schools?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&alert_id=GNcprVfLLB_EtVlyjhHzN>
*

<http://www.change.org/petitions/dont-segregate-menstruating-girls-in-public-schools?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&alert_id=GNcprVfLLB_EtVlyjhHzN>

[image: Sign the
Petition]<http://www.change.org/petitions/dont-segregate-menstruating-girls-in-public-schools?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&alert_id=GNcprVfLLB_EtVlyjhHzN>

Dear Joanna,

Girls in a Toronto public school are sent to the back of the room -- just
because they're menstruating.

Valley Park Middle School in Toronto allows Muslim students to use the
cafeteria for Friday prayer: Seventh and eighth grade girls pray behind the
boys, separated by tables, while *girls who have their period must sit on
their own in the back of the room*, not allowed to join in the prayer.

The Muslim Canadian Congress, the Canadian Council of Muslim Women, and
newspapers both left and right have spoken out: Segregating 12-year-old
girls who are menstruating sends an unhealthy and sexist message that can
scar these children.

But the school still hasn't budged. That's why Tim Das, a father of two kids
in Toronto,* **started a petition on Change.org calling for the Toronto
District School Board to enforce its general equity policy and stop
segregating menstruating girls in schools. Will you add your name
now?*<http://www.change.org/petitions/dont-segregate-menstruating-girls-in-public-schools?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&alert_id=GNcprVfLLB_EtVlyjhHzN>

Tim said he started the petition because school should be a safe place for
children, not one in which girls are shamed and ostracized for a natural
function of their bodies -- a development they're just getting used to. "As
a taxpayer, Toronto resident, and first-generation Canadian -- and most of
all, as the father of a sweet, spirited six year old girl in the Toronto
Public School system -- I was aghast*,*" said Tim.* "I knew I had to do
something*."

Toronto's School Board is required to promote "gender equity ideals" in "all
aspects" of the city's schools. One board member has already said he thinks
the board should enforce that policy. *Widespread public outcry can push the
rest of the board to agree to stop segregating girls who have their period.*

*Sign the petition to tell the Toronto District School Board to stop
treating girls like second-class citizens -- and worse -- in publicly funded
schools.*

*
http://www.change.org/petitions/dont-segregate-menstruating-girls-in-public-schools<http://www.change.org/petitions/dont-segregate-menstruating-girls-in-public-schools?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&alert_id=GNcprVfLLB_EtVlyjhHzN>
*

Thank you for taking action.

- Shelby and the Change.org team



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-- 
 Joanna Chiu

Freelance Writer
www.joannachiu.com <http://www.joannachiu.com%20>
twitter.com/joannachiu

Organizer, WAM! Vancouver
wamvancouver.wordpress.com <http://www.wamvancouver.wordpress.com%20>
twitter.com/wamvancity
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