School District 71 is putting action behind its new anti-homophobia policy.Senior management will establish a committee that includes both adult and student representatives from the lesbian, gay, transgender, transsexual, two-spirit, bisexual and questioning (LGBTQ) community and representatives from the district's traditional partner groups to act in an advisory capacity in the implementation of staff development, in-service, professional development and a complaint process related to the district's sexual orientation and gender identity policy.Partner groups include CUPE, the Comox District Teachers' Association, the Comox Valley Principals and Vice-Principals Association and the District Parents Advisory Council.Management will bring a report on this process to the board April 26.Superintendent Sherry Elwood will also develop a comprehensive in-service education plan pertaining to the policy for all staff in SD71, including a budget, for the board to consider at its April 26 meeting.Trustee Corinne McLellan brought these ideas forward Tuesday."I'm really proud we are one of 12 school districts in B.C. to have a policy on LGTBQ, and I think there are a lot of instructions that the board is supposed to be doing that are embedded within that policy, and I just think it's time for us to start to implement some of those," she said.Trustees were unanimously supportive."I think it's really important we move forward on doing something concrete with respect to the policy we passed," said chair Susan Barr. "I know Sherry has already done some work and has had speakers come in, and there was some work done on the professional development day, and there is already some work ongoing."Unlike the provincial government, I'm not a fan of passing something and then mandating that staff find the money from somewhere else in the budget. I think it is our responsibility if we're going to mandate something that includes some in-service ... that it's board-supported in-service and that a separate budget be struck."The school board adopted a sexual orientation and gender identity policy last May and adopted related regulations this January."The board of education recognizes and values the diversity found within its school communities and believes that each individual contributes to the strength of the district's culture," states the policy. "The board also recognizes that students and other school community members identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirit, intersex, queer or questioning (LGBTQ) face a unique set of challenges within our schools and communities, including being targets for discriminatory behaviours. The board recognizes that each member of the school and district community must share the responsibility for supporting all students in addressing and facing these challenges and that the district is responsible for providing an educational system that is safe, welcoming, inclusive and affirming for all students."The board will not permit, encourage, nor tolerate any behaviours contrary to these commitments, whether by commission or failing to act to bring such behaviours to an end and by providing support and assistance to those who may be the intended or unintended targets of such behaviours, according to the policy.writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com