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Yearbooks are all about capturing memories, but a Barrie elementary school’s recently distributed 2023-24 book has created some for all the wrong reasons, according to some parents.
The Ferndale Woods Elementary School yearbook was distributed to approximately 150 students early this fall and contained a page that included 24 different Pride-related flags — LGBT Pride, Progress Pride, Bisexual Pride and Gay Men Pride.
The page also contained flags celebrating Polyamory Pride, Bear Brotherhood, BDSM Rights (which, according to Urban Dictionary, means a physical, psychological and usually sexual power-role-play with consensual participants), Leather Pride and Rubber Pride — all of which have created “shock” among some Ferndale Woods parents, leaving them to wonder how the page was even approved prior to publication.
“Kids were sent home with a yearbook that had ally groups for LGBTQ … This is something we have come to accept as normal now. What was not normal was that the groups listed included BDSM rights, Bear Brotherhood, Leather Pride and Rubber Pride,” parent Jason Duck told
BarrieToday, an affiliate of
BradfordToday and
InnisfilToday.
"(It’s) shocking, to say the least, in an elementary school yearbook. We are hurt and angry as parents that such recklessness could happen. How many kids were asking their parents what BDSM is or simply Googling it? Truly unacceptable," he added.
Duck said he spoke with a secretary at the Simcoe County District School Board head office on Wednesday and was advised the board is recalling the yearbook. However, he said he was unable to find out who reviews yearbooks prior to publication.