Students from W.J. Mouat Secondary School turned out in numbers on Tuesday to protest the absence of a controversial course from the school's curriculum.

"I want to see Social Justice 12 implemented," said Katie Stobbart, Grade 12 student and one of the march organizers.

The course, which Stobbart and many other marchers signed up for, included discussion of injustices experienced by individuals due to their sexual orientation. Approved by the provincial government, the course is only offered in Abbotsford through continuing education (ACE). A similar high school course with a different name and no mention of sexual orientation is offered in its place.

"We started discussing this on Facebook and it grew into a protest," Stobbart said. "We're not against the school board, but we want to raise awareness. We should be moving from tolerance to accepting and respecting."

Organizers expected 20-30 students to turn out, but in the end more than 70 of their classmates rallied at Rotary Stadium and marched down Trethewey Street to South Fraser Way. The march was orderly and largely confined to the sidewalks. Outside Matsqui Centennial Auditorium, the students chanted and waved placards reading "No Censorship," "We have the right to learn," and "Embrace our differences."

Passing cars honked their support and drew loud cheers from the crowd.

"I've always been interested in social issues," Nicole Balston said. "And that started at Mouat. I signed up for this course as a young adult and it is my prerogative to learn about these topics. It's an elective. Students choose to take it."

Dave Stephen, district communication manager, said district officials met with the march's organizers shortly before it began.

"We were very impressed with their articulate and thoughtful approach to this course and to diversity issues in general," Stephen said.

"We told them that we are still in a process with this course. I think if we had this conversation earlier perhaps we could have avoided this."

Stephen said Social Justice 12 is still under review by the district's Board of Education. It is possible, pending that review, the course could be offered to high school students in February.

- by BENJAMIN ALLDRITT, Abbotsford News