The Toronto District Catholic School Board has declined to take part in an online survey about homophobia.

The survey is sponsored by Egale Canada, a national organization that promotes the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people.

When the survey was launched in December, Egale approached school boards across the country to help distribute the survey to students from Grade 8 to Grade 12.

Egale executive director Helen Kennedy said trustees from three Catholic boards in Toronto, Guelph, Ont., and Alberta, have all said no.

"The study is not about sexual behaviour, it is about social behaviour," said Kennedy. "It's about bullying, harassment and taunting in our schools."

John Del Grande, a trustee with the Toronto Catholic District School Board, wrote he would not support the study in his Catholic schools.

Another rejection letter came from the chair of the Wellington Catholic District School Board in Guelph. Rev. Dennis Noon wrote in capital letters "Not interested thank you."
 
Noon told CBC News homophobia is not a big issue for his board.
 
Kennedy disagrees. "It's as prevalent in the Catholic system as it is in the public system," she said.
 
Ontario Minister of Education Kathleen Wynne said she's disappointed with the negative responses and hopes there will be more open conversations around the study.

Egale has had some success with its campaign. 

Public boards in Thunder Bay and Vancouver are participating and Egale said other public boards are negotiating how they can take part. Social agencies are also helping to distribute the survey to students.