The Greater Essex County District School Board is celebrating Pride Month.
The board held a flag-raising ceremony outside of its administration office on Park Street West in downtown Windsor on Friday.
Director of Education Vicki Houston says she's proud to see the flag flying.
"Proud, proud, proud to be apart of an organization that recognizes everybody and wants them to feel safe and included," says Houston.
During the month of June, secondary and elementary schools within the board will hold events, activities as well as additional dedications.
Houston says some schools today are having a Pride Parade, while others are raising the Pride flag at their schools.
She says raising the flag is not just about celebration, it's acknowledging the harm and challenges but looking forward to the triumphs.
"In standing in solidarity with the community to be able to support our students and our staff and the members of our community to feel safe in our schools, to be included and to be able to be their authentic self," she says.
The GECDSB (@gecdsbpro) has raised the Pride flag at its board office on Park Street to mark Pride Month. #cklw @AM800CKLW pic.twitter.com/L8juOYpw26
— Rob Hindi (@rhindi800) May 31, 2024
Houston says all are welcome at the board.
"Everybody has a place, everybody should be able to be them self and everybody should see them self in the work that we're doing and the learning that they're participating in," says Houston.
Walkerville Collegiate Institute was the first school within the public board to raise the Pride Flag.
The flag was raised in 2015.
In 2016, all public high schools within the board started to fly the flag and in 2019, elementary schools started to raise the flag outside of their schools.