VANCOUVER—Concerned parents and educators are calling for Surrey Councillor Laurie Guerra to step down from her position as director of AutismBC, following reports that she attended a “secret” meeting for those opposed to SOGI — the province’s LGBTQ-inclusive education policy — last week.

The meeting spurred social media outcry in the days following — and the launch of an independent petition for Guerra’s removal.

BCEdAccess — a group representing more than 1,500 parents of children with disabilities — expressed “grave concern” over the recent NEWS 1130 reports that Guerra is associated with groups against SOGI and “the very acceptance of those students and their identities,” in a letter dated Nov. 9.

Heidi Smit-Vinois is a member of the group, who told StarMetro there is no such thing as selective inclusion or human rights only for some.

“It is not OK. Diversity exists whether you have a personal opinion about it or not. Inclusion is the action word,” she said on Monday. “And if you can’t keep your personal opinion to yourself in the realm of serving the public body and its best interests, then you have no business doing it.”

The matter has sparked fear with many parents, including those with children who do not identify as LGBTQ, she added.

Meanwhile, an online petition is demanding Guerra’s position be “immediately revoked.” While it had roughly 300 signatures Saturday evening, by late Monday morning the petition had garnered more than 930 responses, nearing its target of 1,000 people.

StarMetro reached out to Mirella Russel, the mother with a child on the autism spectrum who started the petition, but she was not immediately available for comment.

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Within B.C.’s new curriculum, teachers are expected to teach students about sexual orientation and gender identity, in an age-appropriate manner, as part of physical education.

And organizing for and against the curriculum including SOGI topics, and the SOGI 123 teaching resource, became a rallying point in the most recent civic election for candidates who oppose teaching kids about diverse gender representation and sexual identities at schools.

The letter identified one member of the group, Suzanne Perreault, as addressing concerns about Guerra’s position as recently as July.

But Smit-Vinois said they were “ignored.”

“And it hurt,” she added. “This leaves people feeling like they have nowhere to go. This person who directs a provincial organization that fights for inclusion is disregarding the human rights of another group.”

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When working with vulnerable people and families, who are already oppressed “in many ways,” there is an even greater need for community partners to protect their needs, the BCEdAccess letter argued.

“Sexual orientation and gender identity are not personal choices nor a political position. They are protected under the Canadian Human Rights Act,” the letter read. “The disability community and the LGBTQ community often intersect, and our members have expressed their concerns to us.”

The letter called for AutismBC to make an “immediate” public statement and to identify its position on the issue.

The president of AutismBC responded the next day saying Guerra’s views do not “necessarily” reflect those of the organization, which is determined to remain “apolitical” and not have a role in advocacy at a political level of any kind.

“I believe that the activities and programs of our organization reflect the position of inclusivity,” the statement read.

StarMetro reached out to AutismBC and Guerra but they were not immediately available for comment.

But the matter is not political, according to Smit-Vinois.

While BCEdAccess said they appreciated the statements of inclusivity, they hope the province and other large organizations that partner with AutismBC, will distance themselves until Guerra has stepped down or been removed, she said.

And the group is “not sure” how long that will take.

“It hits home for everybody who has a child who is themselves a minority or disregarded group of people,” Smit-Vinois said. “This is a basic human right. We cannot turn a blind eye and neither can an organization.”

With files from Tessa Vikander

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