After being ordered to produce an updated “student safety plan” by the province’s education minister this week, the Greater Victoria School Board is pushing back, issuing a statement questioning the minister’s approach.
“We are concerned that rather than engage in continued collaborative efforts alongside us and police services, the minister took this pre-emptive and unprecedented step so close to the provincial [election] period,” the board said in the statement.
The dispute stems from continued fallout from the board’s decision to cancel the police school liaison officer program in the district in June 2023, citing concerns that having police in schools would harm students who are Black or Indigenous.
The decision generated backlash, including from police worried about gang recruitment at district high schools. Local governments and others have also called for the decision to be reconsidered.
The minister’s order calls for collaboration between the board and area police departments in developing the safety plan, with a progress report required by Oct. 1, followed by a finalized plan on Nov. 15.
The plan should address such concerns as increased gang activity, crime prevention and crisis response, said the order, which also called for a commitment from the board to improve its relationship with police.
The statement from the board said members had an Aug. 8 meeting with Education Minister Rachna Singh and Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth, then received an Aug. 19 letter from Singh about her questions and concerns.
Trustees told the provincial officials they would respond after their first board meeting of the school year on Sept. 23, the statement said, but instead received the minister’s directive a week ahead of the meeting on Tuesday.
At the time the June 2023 decision was made, Greater Victoria School District’s school police-liaison program hadn’t run for five years due to police budget issues, but Victoria Police Chief Del Manak — a former school-liaison officer himself — was looking to bring it back.
The decision to formally axe the program came the same week that police issued a warning about gang recruitment in schools.
The Saanich and Sooke school districts continue to have school-liaison officers.
The Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board said it’s happy that Singh has taken action on the issue.
“We welcome this order and are committed to moving forward with developing a collaborative plan that will create positive relationships, prevent criminal activity, address the current safety concerns and proactively keep students safe,” said chair Micayla Hayes.
“We feel that this order sends a strong message that the current suite of programs, actions and policies in our schools are not enough to keep students safe.”
The consequences of not taking action are “too significant,” she said.
The police board voted in May to write to Singh requesting a review of safety in the school district, in light of the school board’s reluctance to reinstate the school-liaison officer program.
In its statement, the board said that it has previously invited police to discuss student safety, and continues to rely on police “to communicate potential safety concerns which may impact our schools through formal channels and processes.”
“The board is optimistic and motivated to continue moving the safety conversation forward while considering the diversity and unique experiences of all students and families within our learning community.”
The board statement said it looks forward to providing a progress report to the ministry and to school communities “to maintain transparent communication that fosters trust and mutual respect.”
Parent Lori Poppe, a proponent of liaison officers who took part in rallies calling their return, called the statement from the board “highly disappointing.”
She said trustees have been made aware of safety issues inside schools by parent-advisory councils, principals and others, “yet they still continue to ignore what is happening.”
Those issues include reports of the selling of drugs and vape products by suspected gang members, Poppe said.
She said there is not enough focus on the prevention of problems, which is what school-liaison officers are skilled at dealing with.
Poppe applauded the action taken by Singh and said the fact that the minister felt she had to step in should be “a huge eye-opener” to the general public.
“That should let everyone know how difficult it is to deal with this board.”
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