Parents group demands anti-SOGI AutismBC director, Surrey councillor, step down

Posted November 10, 2018 8:34 pm.

Last Updated November 13, 2018 11:00 am.

This article is more than 5 years old.

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Backlash is growing against Surrey Coun. Laurie Guerra after NEWS 1130 reported she and Coun. Steven Pettigrew attended a secret meeting for those opposed to SOGI — B.C.’s LGBTQ-inclusive education resource — this week.

Guerra is also the director of AutismBC. Now a group representing 1,400 parents of children with disabilities wants her to be removed from the board of directors.

Heidi Smit-Vinois with the BCEdAccess, says members are concerned about someone leading an organization meant to help vulnerable people while rejecting SOGI 123, which is meant to protect another marginalized group.

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She questions whether someone with those views should be leading this kind of provincially-funded organization.

“The majority of members feel that someone who doesn’t understand human rights and inclusion can provide a safe space for people seeking help,” she says. “How can anyone stand for inclusion when they’re not respecting the human rights of every single individual?

“If you can’t separate your personal viewpoint and belief from serving the public at large, than we question whether you should be in a position to serve that public.”

She says members of her group were concerned about her rejecting the LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum.

“Our members, of course, all of whom have children, and all of whom are parents of children of students with disabilities of every kind – also many who have children who have disabilities and who are LGBTQ – the concern over the inclusive nature and concern and respect for their human rights became paramount in that conversation,” she said.

AutismBC’s president Gary Robins is responding to angry parents by saying Guerra’s views do not necessarily reflect the views of their organization.

“The mission of AutismBC is “An inclusive society where people on the autism spectrum reach their full potential.” I believe that the activities and programs of our organization reflect the position of inclusivity,” reads the statement. “As a nonprofit organization we are determined to remain apolitical and not have a role in advocacy at a political level of any kind.”

AutismBC issued this statement following Laurie Guerra’s attendance at the anti-SOGI meeting

Petition adds fire to demands

Meanwhile Mirella Russell, whose child is on the autism spectrum, has started a petition. She’s lobbying for Guerra’s removal from AutismBC’s board of directors since hearing about Guerra’s affiliation with anti-SOGI groups.

“To hear that a person in such a position of power is spreading homophobic and transphobic information in a secret meeting – I was disgusted by it,” she said. “A lot of children on the spectrum also identify themselves as LGBTQ2+, and when your organization stands for inclusion, you’re representing all the children on the (autism) spectrum, including those on the LGBTQ spectrum.

“My heart hurt when I heard about it. I believe, this day and age, we should not be fighting for human rights of children who have the same rights as anyone else…I felt that I need to do something about it. I felt that I couldn’t just sit still and allow it to happen.”