Ottawa-Carleton District School Board trustee Donna Blackburn is speaking out against the cancellation of a planned drag storytime event at Mutchmor Public School, saying she is “very, very disappointed and quite frankly mortified.”
Trustee Questions Board’s Explanation
Donna Blackburn, one of the OCDSB’s elected trustees, questioned the board’s explanation and said she does not believe the decision was made by school administrators. “I am 99.99 per cent sure the principal did not make this decision,” Blackburn said. “The board made the decision and the principal is taking the brunt of what’s going on.”
Her comments come after the OCDSB provided additional details in a statement sent to the Citizen following publication of an earlier story. “A Drag Storytime event was initially booked at an elementary school for June. However, upon further administrative review, school leadership reconsidered the presentation,” the board said.
The board said the decision was made “based on a desire to ensure that our Pride Month activities broadly reflect the diverse spectrum of identities, histories, and voices within the 2SLGBTQI+ community.” It also said the school sought to ensure guest presentations had “a direct, clear connection to specific Ontario Curriculum learning outcomes.”
Blackburn disputed that characterization. “The principal did not make this decision,” she said.
Event Details and Cancellation
The event, scheduled for Friday, June 19, was to feature drag performer Adrianna Exposée. In a letter sent to families earlier in the month, Mutchmor administrators said the presentation was intended to promote literacy and themes of equity, diversity and visibility “in a unique and memorable way.” The school later informed parents it would not proceed, citing concerns about “curricular alignment.”
Blackburn, who describes herself as Ottawa’s first openly gay school trustee elected in a municipal election, said the cancellation sends the wrong message to LGBTQ+ students. “You look at the statistics of who’s at highest risk for suicide and suicidal ideation. It’s our LGBTQ+ kids,” she said. “Those kids need the most protection.”
She also expressed concern for Mutchmor principal Sandy Miller. “I can only imagine what that principal is going through right now,” Blackburn said. “And it’s not right.”
Context of Provincial Supervision
The controversy comes as the OCDSB remains under provincial supervision. The province removed decision-making authority from elected trustees last year and appointed supervisor Robert Plamondon to oversee the board while it works to address ongoing budget deficits.
