A Toronto-area school has decided to take down a sign featuring an appreciative message for moms ahead of Mother’s Day after one parent complained in a Facebook group that it was “exclusionary” and local media picked up the story.
A CP24 article on the incident explains how a local resident took issue with the sign in front of Kew Beach Junior Public School in Toronto and posted her rant in a Facebook group.
The original message, which was crafted by Grade 6 students simply read, “Life does not come with a manual. It comes with a mom.”
“Grade 6 students at Kew Beach came up with the first quote collectively as they prepare for Mother’s Day this weekend, to share how much they care for and depend on their moms,” said Toronto District School Board spokesperson Shari Schwartz-Maltz.
The specific Facebook user in question took issue with how the sign didn’t take into account kids from different kinds of families like LGBTQ families.
After receiving a few emails and calls from people who were also offended by the sign, Kew Beach acquiesced and replaced the message on the signage – ridding it entirely of any reference to mothers.
“Upon feedback, the school recognized that this quote does not reflect the inclusivity of our community, and took immediate steps to address the issue. The sign has now been updated with a new message of an encouraging acronym for May,” explained Schwartz-Maltz.
The sign was replaced with another message that featured a spelling mistake.
“M: Make this month count. A: Accoplish (sic) your goals. Y: You can do this,” the new signage reads.
