An east-end Toronto school is refusing to let what’s being described as an act of hate hijack their message of love after a Pride flag assembled by hundreds of young students was set on fire last weekend.
Kids from RH McGregor Elementary School in East York took part in creating a large intersex inclusive Pride flag on the school’s chain-link fence to mark Pride Month late last month. Each child who participated was given a piece of fabric to tie to the fence to create the multi-coloured display.
“All of the Grade 5s, for example, tied the red, all of the Grade 4s tied the orange, all the way down to the kindergarteners, who tied the purple…so that they could participate in really taking something smaller and being able to see it come to fruition altogether,” Jessica Thom, an organizer of the project and parent of children at the school, told CTV News Toronto.
But just days after the flag was finished and school was out for the summer, Thom said she was informed on July 5 that it had been set on fire. The flag was all but destroyed, save for a few pieces of charred fabric.
Thom admits the news made her “angry.”
“It’s a representation of the inclusivity, kindness, respect, and belief in community that are really foundational to our school, and to see something like that destroyed, even though it’s merely a symbolic thing, it really hurts,” she said, adding that burning something children created is “extra insulting.”
In a letter to families and community members from the school, principal Denise Colby echoed Thom’s remarks, calling the apparent vandalism “particularly disappointing.”
“We are grateful for the support of our school community and are already making plans to replace the mural so that it can once again reflect the values of inclusion and belonging that are important to our school,” she wrote.
In an email to CTV News, Toronto police say that the incident is being investigated and its Hate Crime Unit is engaged. No suspect descriptions have been released.
‘Our school is not defined by an act of hate’
In the days following the incident, Thom says she and other parents involved in the project felt “very strongly” that they needed to respond.
“We needed to be able to show that the community is still supportive,” she said.
Now, from the ashes of the original project, dozens of rainbow flags and messages of solidarity have been affixed to the fence—dwarfing the size of its first iteration—by parents like Thom, students, and other kids and residents in the community.
“Children made a symbol of love. Our school is not defined by an act of hate,” reads one sign. “Please be respectful,” and “Phoenixes rise from the ashes,” others read.
The charred remains of the flag are still visible on the fence, but Thom said the “guerrilla” response to the vandalism is clear.
“People have come and brought their Pride flags from their houses, people have gone out to get more pride flags. There’s been people who’ve bought ribbon, so I think the response is pretty clear in a desire to really show that level of support,” she said.
Looking for a permanent display of support
Thom said that while the display is growing, she and other members of the school community are pushing for a more permanent replacement.
To that effect, they’ve created a petition addressed to Mayor Olivia Chow, local councillors, and other members of provincial government calling for, among other things, a public condemnation of the incident and a rainbow crosswalk for the area.
“Our community has responded with grief, anger, and resolve. Parents, students, and neighbours are coming together to make sure this act of hate is met with a louder, more visible show of love and inclusion — and we’re asking our elected representatives, at the city and provincial level, to stand with us,” the petition, which has been signed by more than 130 people at time of writing, reads.
In a statement to CTV News, Mayor Chow’s office called the vandalism an “unacceptable act” and said she spoke with those who were involved in the project on Thursday.
“She thanked parents and community members for their leadership in responding to this incident and expressed how encouraged she was to see the community coming together in support of 2SLGBTQ+ students and families,” the statement read in part.
The Mayor’s Office added that Chow expressed her support for the community’s call for a rainbow crosswalk.
