School Board Chair Sorry for “Nazi” Remark

The chair of a Catholic school district board in Ontario has apologized for a remark that compared gay-straight alliance clubs to Nazi groups, but she said she sees no reason why she would need to resign.

The Burlington Post reports on Alice Anne LeMay, the chair of the Halton Catholic District School Board whose offensive remarks to Xtra magazine were published online last week and prompted public outrage and clarification from the school board.

"I do wish to apologize again for the words that I used and the way they were interpreted," she said in a conference call. "That's really not what our board is about. We've always tried to ensure that the students have a safe environment and are always listened to and always cared for and have a good place to learn and a good place to be. What can I say, that's now in the past and we have to move forward."

LeMay said that she did not believe the Nazi reference should result in her removal.

"I don't think there is a need for that. Everybody who has known me for the past 30 years knows that everybody says things they'd like to take back, but I don't think what I said warrants me not being chair of the board," she said.