Sanctions against Red Deer Catholic School Board trustee Monique LaGrange upheld by Alberta judge

An Alberta judge has upheld sanctions against a Red Deer Catholic school trustee who compared members of the LGBTQIA+ community with Nazis in a meme.

Monique LaGrange took the Red Deer Catholic School Board to court for its decision on her social media post, saying it was unreasonable to rule on her conduct, the hearings were procedurally unfair, and that her post did not contravene Roman Catholic values and the Education Act.

She also sought to be reinstated as a board trustee after being disqualified.

On Aug. 27, 2023, she posted an image on Instagram of children waving Pride flags juxtaposed with children waving Nazi flags, saying “Brainwashing is brainwashing.”

Sanctions were placed on LaGrange, which included issuing a public apology within 90 days and representing the board at events.

The board says she violated these sanctions on Sept. 26, as well as Board Policy and the Education Act. LaGrange stepped down after after the board disqualified her.

Court documents released Thursday show Alberta Court of King’s Bench Justice Cheryl Arcand-Kootenay largely rejecting her claim and finding the board within its right to issue sanctions against the former trustee.

“They are consistent with the concerns of the board and members of the division. It is clear that they are intended to prevent further harm and also reconciliation through education,” she wrote in her judgement.

She also said the board’s reasons for finding its policies breached by LaGrange were reasonable due to being “logical, thorough and grounded in the facts that were before the Board at the time of their deliberations.”

However, Arcand-Kootenay did say some sanctions were unreasonable, such as taking sensitivity training on topics such as the Holocaust, 2SLGBTQIA+ issues, and social media use on her dime.

“They appear redundant, as the Board had also resolved to participate and engage in similar training as a group. There is no reason the Applicant could not participate in this training alongside her peers,” she said.

The word “sincere” was also omitted from the apology asked of LaGrange, with Arcand-Kootenay saying sincerity is not a measurable quality.

“It does not seem feasible to me to prescribe an individual’s personally held feelings. Whether or not the apology is sincere is not measurable by any objective standard,” she said.

But overall and in the context of the evidence, she says the board met the standard of justification, transparency, and intelligibility and is “justified within its factual and legal constraints.”

In a statement, board chair Murray Hollman said they are pleased with the decision.

“We are grateful for the Court’s decision, as it reaffirms our commitment to creating an inclusive and respectful environment for all students and staff. This judgment underscores the importance of our policies and our collective responsibility as trustees to uphold them in the service of our community,” he said.

LaGrange’s lawyer James Kitchen tells 660 NewsRadio he was unsurprised by the decision and plans to file an appeal.

“We are unsurprised by the decision; we find it odd and unfortunate that the judge only struck the “sincere” part of the apology requirement, instead of the entire conscience-violating compelled apology, the implication of which is that it is acceptable to compel people to issue insincere apologies in order to keep their positions; and that we will be filing an appeal with the Court of Appeal,” his statement reads.

The board says it is currently awaiting Arcand-Kootenay’s decision regarding LaGrange’s disqualification.

Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange is a distant relative of the former trustee.