In response to a letter from the chiefs of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, the chair of the Greater Victoria School Board says trustees are open to addressing their concerns about how the board handled cancelling the school police liaison officer program.
Songhees Chief Ron Sam and Esquimalt Chief Jerome Thomas said the board’s decision led to the removal of an Indigenous officer who had built meaningful relationships in schools, and that the continued actions of the board “reflect a deep failure to honour the principles of reconciliation, cultural safety and relational accountability, which are central to respecting our Nations as rights holders.”
In a letter to Sam and Thomas, chair Nicole Duncan said the board takes their feedback “seriously.” “We acknowledge the need for further dialogue and we are committed to working together to ensure your concerns are heard.”
She said the board is committed to “prioritizing our engagement” with the two nations.
Duncan said that as part of engagement efforts with regional police services, the board has been “working to establish a communication protocol with all four police services operating within the boundaries of the Greater Victoria School District to clarify roles, responsibilities, and service delivery so we can move forward in a productive manner.”
Duncan pointed out that the district has not had liaison officers in schools since 2018, after police budget problems led to its cancellation.
Victoria Police Chief Del Manak, a former liaison officer himself, had hoped to bring the program back until the board voted to end the program in 2023.
Duncan said in her letter that the previous board had directed that a review of the program be carried out.
“After a multi-year review we learned that the program was limited to the provision of a police officer to serve as a resource officer to groups of schools,” Duncan said. “The board had no oversight over, and had no input into, the goals and activities of the police liaison officers.
“There was no mechanism to meaningfully address the activities or conduct of police, since police liaison officers are employed by the regional police services and not the board of education.”
She said the board recognizes that many officers “have made valuable contributions through their involvement with our school community.”
Duncan said a safety plan submitted to the Ministry of Education — requested due to the controversy around the decision to scrap the program — says the board “does not support the use of police services to manage student behaviour or discipline in our schools, unless the behaviour constitutes criminal behaviour on the part of the student.”
“Appropriate qualified school district staff are responsible for managing student behaviour and student discipline,” she said.
The Education Ministry is scheduled to provide an update about the safety plan today.
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