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Alberta parents soon can't pull kids out of class when homosexuality discussed

A new bill introduced by the Alberta government will no longer allow parents to pull their children out of class when homosexuality is discussed.

EDMONTON — A new bill introduced by the Alberta government will no longer allow parents to pull their children out of class when homosexuality is discussed.

It's one of a many changes brought forward under Bill 10.

The bill was a last-minute piece of legislation announced by Premier Jim Prentice to clarify what he calls a divisive and unfair debate about homosexuality and children.

Alberta's Progressive Conservatives have been criticized for allowing students to be pulled out of class when homosexuality is discussed, and for not automatically giving students the right to form gay-straight alliances in schools.

Gay-straight alliances are peer-support groups that help LGBTQ students feel welcome and help prevent them from being bullied and abused.

Bill 10 still does not give students the automatic right to form these alliances, but gives them an appeal process first to schools boards and ultimately to the Court of Queen's Bench.