Nanaimo-Ladysmith school district is cutting ties with a children’s camp in Crofton, citing what it views as a lack of inclusivity.
As per its website, Camp Qwanoes is a youth-focused, high-adventure Christian camp that welcomes people from varied backgrounds, and previous church attendance is not necessary.
Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools said it received information from various sources, including a news report, about counsellors of Camp Qwanoes being asked to sign an agreement stating that abortion, homosexuality and premarital sex are sinful. The district said it made inquiries which confirmed the information and led to the decision.
Greg Keller, School District 68 board chairperson, told the News Bulletin the decision to cut ties with the camp wasn’t taken lightly, but the camp’s philosophy is against the district’s policy on inclusivity.
“Our staff, through our superintendent, did a thorough investigation after we became aware,” Keller said. “We came to the conclusion that continuing a partnership and business with a firm that does not promote or align with our board goal of creating safe, caring and healthy learning and working environments, that is inclusive of the diversity of all of our learning community, was not something that our district wanted to continue.”
He said the district is “actively looking at other options” for another camp with which to partner.
In an e-mail, Scott Saywell, SD68 superintendent, further elaborated and said there are numerous reasons why the school district’s decision is the right one.
“As a public school district, it is essential to uphold principles of inclusivity and equality for all students, families, and staff,” Saywell said. “Camp Qwanoes’ reported inhospitable and unaffirming stance towards LGBTQIA2S+ parents, children, and families goes against these values and can create an unwelcoming environment for individuals of diverse backgrounds.”
Saywell also said, since the district is publicly funded, it is obliged “to comply with legal and ethical standards that promote equality and non-discrimination,” and the move aligns with that.
“Publicizing the decision ensures that parents and the community are aware of the change in camp locations and the reasons behind it,” the superintendent said. “This helps avoid confusion or misinformation and allows families to plan accordingly for future school camping trips.”
In an e-mail to the News Bulletin, Scott Bayley, executive director of Camp Qwanoes and staff member for the past 34 years, said he was surprised by the school district’s public statement that questioned the camp’s safety.
“Safety is of the highest priority here – we are a safe place, and an inclusive place … The suggestion that an experience here is not safe is a misrepresentation…” he said in the e-mail. “We believe that people with different beliefs can still get along and enjoy a great time together.”
According to Bayley, the camp and school district’s relationship had been positive and respectful for the past 40 years, and the camp was unaware of concerns related to LGBTQ equality or religious beliefs until June.
“It now seems that SD68 only works with people that share their same beliefs and not with ones who do not. How far do they plan to take this?” he asked.
All staff for the camp are required to share the beliefs specified in the written agreement, which has been in place for more than 25 years without any changes, and dictates that abortion, homosexuality and premarital sex are sins.
“Requiring staff to indicate their support of and agreement with our Christian beliefs as a condition for employment is allowed for and protected in Canada. Religious freedom is an important part of Canadian society,” Bayley said.
When asked how much religious context is included in the day-to-day experience of a camp attendee, the executive director said staff seek to live out their Christian principles in all activities during the day. Campers also engage in discussion groups led by counsellors “on topics relevant to the age group” and listen to speakers who seek to “apply relevant biblical principles to everyday life.”
The school district is not the only party reconsidering its relationship with the camp. In a recent social media post, a parent from Duncan shared the reasons he decided to pull his son from the camp due to similar concerns.
“The camp looked so cool,” wrote Jared Williams earlier this summer. “Big floating rafts, ziplines, skateboarding, and all his school friends were going. It was gonna be great.”
In his post, Williams wrote that he had a prior understanding of the camp’s religious views, but from information presented on the website and gathered from other parents, he believed the organization’s “theological viewpoints” were not pushed.
Williams told the News Bulletin that he attended the camp himself in the early ’90s as a student of Maple Bay’s Queen of Angels School, but “was too young to understand any of the religious context,” and thought his 10-year-old son would enjoy the camp since his school friends were already going.
However, a news story published by the Discourse in late April noted that staff members had to sign and agree to “student and staff standards” and were expected “to be individuals that refrain from practices condemned by God in the Bible,” which considered “homosexual behaviour” as a sexual sin. Williams, who identifies as agnostic, said he never expected the camp to be “anti-LGTBQ, anti-divorce and anti-abortion.”
“I was shocked, religious or not, why would someone need to hold such views to work with children,” he wrote.
Williams said he was and wasn’t surprised by the attention his social media post attracted since he posts frequently in support of the LGBTQ community and has a very supportive online following. Thousands of people commented, shared and interacted with his post, expressing shock and disbelief and applauding his decision to speak out.
READ MORE: Nanaimo Christian School won’t allow ‘Queer-Straight Alliance’ as club name
mandy.moraes@nanaimobulletin.com
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