Education Minister David Eggen has appointed an outside advisor to work with the Edmonton Catholic School Board to help trustees hash out a policy for transgender students.
Donald Cummings with the company National Growth Partners will work with the board for the next six months at the cost of $60,000.
The cost will be split between Edmonton Catholic Schools and the province.
At a news conference Wednesday morning, Eggen was asked whether he would consider dissolving the board if an LGBTQ policy is not implemented.
“All options are on the table,” he answered.
The Edmonton Catholic School Board has been working on implementing an LGBTQ policy after the mother of a transgender girl reported her child was asked to use the gender neutral washroom at her school.
Eventually, the girl was allowed to use the girl’s washroom, but since then school trustees have struggled to develop a policy on sexual orientation and gender identity.
The issue caused emotional outbursts at a meeting in September.
At Tuesday’s meeting, trustees voted 6-1 to pass the first reading of a draft policy.
Second reading will take place in late November.
