Judge upholds sanctions against Red Deer school board trustee Monique LaGrange

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An Alberta judge has upheld a series of sanctions imposed by the Red Deer Catholic school board against a former trustee after she posted a meme comparing the LGBTQ2S+ movement to Nazis.

In August 2023, Monique LaGrange published an image depicting children waving Pride flags below a photo of children waving Nazi flags, with the caption “brainwashing is brainwashing.”

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A month later, the board imposed sanctions, including requiring LaGrange to issue a public apology within 90 days and refrain from posting similar material as well as barring her from representing the board at public events and censuring her from joining board committees.

LaGrange fought those sanctions in court, arguing it was unreasonable for the board to rule on her conduct, that the hearing to determine those punishments was procedurally unfair, and that her post did not contravene Roman Catholic values as the board alleged.

In a ruling published Thursday, Alberta Court of King’s Bench Justice Cheryl Arcand-Kootenay largely rejected those assertions and found the board was within its rights to issue sanctions against LaGrange.

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

“I find the board’s decision reasonable and confirm it.”

Arcand-Kootenay ruled some other sanctions were unreasonable — specifically, those requiring LaGrange, at her own expense, to take sensitivity training on topics related to the Holocaust, LGBTQ2S+ issues, the use of social media, and human rights.

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“They appear redundant, as the board had also resolved to participate and engage in similar training as a group. There is no reason (LaGrange) could not participate in this training alongside her peers,” her ruling read.

She also struck the word “sincere” from the apology required of LaGrange, saying sincerity is not a measurable quality.

“It does not seem feasible to me to prescribe an individual’s personally held feelings.”

LaGrange was disqualified from the board in November 2023, a decision she has also appealed with a ruling still to come.

In a statement, board chair Murray Hollman said he was grateful for the court’s ruling.

“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.”

James Kitchen, LaGrange’s lawyer, told Postmedia he was unsurprised by the decision and intended to appeal the ruling.

“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,” Kitchen said.

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Through marriage, LaGrange is a distant relative of Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange, who has said she disavows the social media post.

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