After months - and for some, years - of advocating for change in School District 27 (SD 27), parents and community members claiming that violence, bullying and racism in the district have ballooned to a crisis, met with the Minister of Education and Child Care (MECC) Lisa Beare.
In the afternoon of Monday, May 12, Esk'etemc Kukpi7 Fred Robbins and Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, reiterated their demand for a full investigation of the school district during a virtual meeting with Minister Beare. Robbins re-extended an invitation to the minister to come visit Esk'et, located south west of Williams Lake, to hear first-hand the stories of discrimination and violence both students, staff and parents allege are not being addressed by the school district.
"The meeting was short," said Melissa Coates, a mother and member of the group Concerned Parents and Caregivers of Williams Lake (CPWL) which has grown near to 400 memberships in recent months. CPWL and Esk'etemc united publicly on April 1, holding a peaceful rally at the district’s doorstep and requesting Beare meet with them face-to-face and hear their stories.
"I hope they commit to coming to Esk'et," Coates said of the minister. "We have so much to go over and 30 minutes wasn't enough, nor is anything other than a full investigation."
During the meeting, a new website and video created to bring attention to ongoing calls for a fulsome investigation into SD 27 were also shared with the minister. In a press release published that morning, Robbins said the website added to their calls to action while also inviting others to join their effort.
“We are tired of being ignored and every day that goes by, we hear more and more stories of children and youth throughout the region who fear going to school," said Robbins. “We will not stop until an investigation is launched.”
“This website and video will serve as critical tools to inform and support parents, students and community members,” Coates added in the release. She said the website will show the ministry the seriousness of their calls for an investigation, “so that all students and staff in School District #27 can attend school free from fear of racial violence, discrimination, bullying and harassment.”
The website invites others to support their efforts by joining their Facebook group, signing a petition and downloading a letter which can be sent to Minister Beare. Together, the website and video demand immediate action from the ministry so that all students and staff in the district can feel “safe, supported and have a sense of belonging.”
In response to the Tribune's inquiry, MECC said student and staff safety is a top priority.
"Any time that concerns are brought forward, the ministry takes them very seriously."
Ministry representatives had previously met with CPWL on April 23 in Williams Lake following a letter sent by Esk’etemc, CPWL and Grand Chief Phillip inviting Beare to come to Esk'et on May 7 or 8. The meeting was organized "last minute" and a second one was held in the afternoon with the local First Nations Education Council (FNEC). Neither Kukpi7 Robbins nor Grand Chief Phillip received an invitation. MECC told the Tribune an invitation was sent out to all members of the FNEC for the second meeting, held for educational program leads and ministry staff rather than political officials. CPWL members who met the representatives on April 23 expressed their disappointment with the meeting and stated they felt they had not been heard. A letter from the ministry summarizing the meeting missed key components said Geroge Hobi, a parent and member of CPWL.
“It didn’t leave a very good impression,” said Hobi. He felt the ministry’s representatives hosting the meeting appeared not to know much background on the group’s concerns, despite numerous letters outlining these sent from CPWL and Esk’etemc to the ministry
Coates said she was grateful for the April 23 meeting, but also said she felt the ministry's efforts were not meaningful.
"I was irritated because it felt like just a checkbox...how could we possibly give them three-years' worth of information in a 30-minute meeting," Coates said.
"You want us to come up with the solution and you haven't even done your homework," she added, explaining that the representatives asked CPWL what they wanted despite the group having already outlined their demands in their letters.
During their visit to Williams Lake, the ministry representatives also had a chance to speak with students.
"A real highlight for them was meeting at lunch with secondary students from Columneetza, Peter Skene Ogden, Skyline and Lake City Secondary," said SD 27 Superintendent Cheryl Lenardon during her report to the board of education at its April 28 regular meeting. "They had no staff present, the youth just talked about their experiences in our schools, and it was a full hour, I'm told, that they met together."
In a response to the Tribune's request for comment on CPWL and Esk'etemc's latest actions, Lenardon said the ministry would soon be publishing a full report on a three-month review conducted by Safer Schools Together (SST), a review which CPWL and Esk'etemc have previously criticized.
"They will have gathered input from thousands of people in our community, including a broad representation of our parents, our students, and our Indigenous communities," Lenardon wrote to the Tribune. "We look forward to hearing and responding to these comprehensive findings and recommendations."
MECC confirmed with the Tribune it has now received a comprehensive report from SST and will continue to support the district.
"The ministry shares the district’s commitment to ensuring all schools are safe and supportive spaces where both students and staff can thrive and appreciates the advocacy on this important matter," the ministry said.
An executive summary of the review was made available to the district who shared it with parents, caregivers, staff and partners as of May 13.
The summary lists recommendations resulting from the culture and climate review including the need to develop a comprehensive, transparent and user-friendly communications protocol and provide sessions for parents focused on topics such as bullying, cultural sensitivity and onine safety.
