Sask. requiring school divisions to create changeroom policies that respond to ‘local input’

Minister of Education Everett Hindley and Shawn Davidson, President of the Saskatchewan School Boards Association, speak to reporters at the legislature on Jan. 23, 2025. (Wayne Mantyka/CTV News)

The Saskatchewan government is moving forward with its plan to implement change room policies in schools across the province — but what those policies are will be up to school divisions to decide.

In a news release Thursday, the Ministry of Education announced it was requiring all school divisions to establish their own formal policies on the use of school change rooms that “upholds the privacy, dignity and comfort of all students.”

Premier Scott Moe initially pitched sweeping rules for school changerooms in the run up to the Oct. 28 election, after an online publication ran a story outlining concerns about two 12-year-old trans students using a girls’ change room at a southeastern Saskatchewan school. The two students in the story were later identified on social media as the children of NDP MLA Jared Clarke.

Responding to the story at the time, Moe it would be his “first order of business” to ban “biological boys” from changing alongside “biological girls.” He recanted that stance after the election, and Clarke later called on Moe to apologize for putting his children in the crosshairs of public scrutiny.

The announcement Thursday marks a significant shift in tone on the issue, centering privacy, comfort and dignity.

“We want to ensure privacy, dignity and comfort of all students,” Education Minister Everett Hindley said in the news release.

“It is also important for parents/guardians to be aware of the steps being taken to ensure the comfort and safety of all students. Through our consultations, many school divisions informed us that they are in the best position to make these decisions at a local level.”

The Ministry of Education says it expects school divisions to come up with policies in consultation with parents, guardians and students.

“Boards of Education receive their delegated responsibilities with the understanding that as elected representatives, they are to be responsive and understanding of the constituents that elect them,” the ministry said in a statement.

“The government will continue to monitor this situation to ensure that local input is being respected and heard.”

School divisions will need to have their policies in place, communicated to stakeholders and publicly available by June 30, 2025.