Ottawa School Pulls Drag Storytime Amid Curricular Concerns
Ottawa's Mutchmor Public School has cancelled a planned drag storytime event during Pride month after school administrators sent a note to families citing "questions about curricular alignment" as the reason for pulling the program.
The cancellation comes during a time when Pride events are typically celebrated across Ottawa schools and the broader community, making the timing particularly notable for parents and advocates who had anticipated the event.
What Happened
Families at Mutchmor received a communication from school administrators announcing that the drag storytime — a type of event that has become increasingly common at libraries and schools across Canada — would not be going ahead as planned. The note did not elaborate beyond the curricular alignment explanation.
Drag storytime events typically feature performers in costume reading age-appropriate picture books to children, with a focus on themes like kindness, self-expression, and acceptance. Similar events have been hosted at Ottawa Public Library branches and schools in other Ontario cities.
Community Reaction
The cancellation has prompted questions from parents and community members about how the decision was made and whether it reflects broader policy at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB). Pride month is recognized by the OCDSB, which has publicly affirmed its commitment to 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion in its equity and inclusion policies.
For many families at Mutchmor — a centrally located school in the Glebe neighbourhood — the event had represented an opportunity to mark Pride in a way that was visible and celebratory for younger students.
Broader Context
The cancellation reflects a tension playing out in school communities across Canada, where drag storytime events have become both popular and politically contested. Some parent groups have raised objections to the format, while advocates argue these events are developmentally appropriate and affirming for children from 2SLGBTQ+ families.
In Ontario, the provincial curriculum does include expectations around equity, human rights, and respecting diversity — particularly in health and physical education as well as social studies — which supporters of drag storytime events often cite as justification for their inclusion in school programming.
The OCDSB has not issued a public statement on the Mutchmor cancellation at the time of publication.
What's Next
It remains unclear whether the event might be rescheduled, moved off school property, or cancelled entirely for the year. Ottawa's Pride month runs through June, with the main Pride parade scheduled later in the month.
For Ottawa families and educators watching this story, the outcome at Mutchmor may signal how individual schools navigate community feedback on inclusive programming — and how much discretion principals have when it comes to events that sit at the intersection of curriculum, community values, and celebration.
Source: Ottawa Citizen. This article is based on reporting from Ottawa Citizen.
