It was announced by the Government of Saskatchewan that as of Thursday, January 23, all school divisions in the province are now required to develop, implement, and make publicly available a policy on changeroom usage that, quote "Upholds the privacy, dignity and comfort of all students."
The decision was made following collaboration between the Ministry of Education and school divisions in Saskatchewan to ensure safety and privacy of students remain a top priority.
In the release announcing the new requirements, the Government of Saskatchewan highlight the role school divisions play in the creation and implementation of administrative procedures. Those administrative procedures are formal policy documents that are used by school staff to help deal with situations such as student safety and privacy.
"We want to ensure privacy, dignity and comfort of all students," Education Minister Everett Hindley said in a release regarding the new changeroom policies.
"It is also important for parents/guardians to be aware of the steps being taken to ensure the comfort and safety of all students. Through our consultations, many school divisions informed us that they are in the best position to make these decisions at a local level."
School divisions are expected to develop and implement the aforementioned administrative procedure in consultation with parents/guardians and students. The Ministry of Education said that all school divisions must have their policy publicly available on their respective websites by June 30, 2025, with the policy clearly communicated to staff, parents, students and members of the public to maintain a level of transparency across the province.
The Ministry of Education states: "Boards of Education receive their delegated responsibilities with the understanding that as elected representatives, they are to be responsive and understanding of the constituents that elect them. The government will continue to monitor this situation to ensure that local input is being respected and heard."