Fear mongering is no solution
Re: “Setting the record straight on police in schools,” commentary, Jan. 3.
B.C. human rights commissioner Kasari Govender claims that the ongoing debate about police in schools has been plagued by “misinformation” and “fear mongering.” She says that the best way to avoid fear mongering is to implement evidence-based policy.
So, what evidence does Govender provide? She reports that certain identity groups are “far over-represented in arrests and detentions by police.” She then declares, in a bizarre non sequitur, that this is evidence of “discriminatory policing.”
Govender then moves to her policy recommendation. Victoria’s police liaison officers cause harm, at least when it comes to how they are perceived by certain identity groups. She seems to believe that the police are, by definition, guilty of discrimination against “Indigenous, Black, and other radicalized children” simply because children from these identity groups feel unsafe in their encounters with police.
This is an excellent example of fear mongering.
If a child is afraid of the monster under the bed, one does not help the child by amplifying the child’s fears.
Yes, the evidence shows that the child is afraid of the monster. The child’s feelings, after all, are perfectly real.
But rather than encourage the child’s fear, the logical thing to do is to show the child that there is nothing to fear. The monster under the bed will not eat the child.
It is a topsy-turvy world indeed when those in positions of power argue in favour of fear mongering.
Richard van Oort
Victoria
Limits to scientific investigation
Re: “Setting the record straight on police in schools,” commentary, Jan. 3.
I would like to thank Kasari Govender for laying out the “research-based” process she has used to conclude that police liaison officers in schools are unwarranted, and indeed, harmful. Had a graduate student provided me with a thesis using this same logic, it would never have be approved and the hapless student would be sent back to the drawing board.
Govender’s first problem is apparently mistaking “correlation” for “causation.” Correlation studies, especially when investigating complex real-world social science subjects (e.g. impact of police liaison officers on student crime), simply demonstrate that things may be associated, but not determinative.
There are simply some (actually, a large number) of issues that cannot be investigated scientifically in ways that would lead to determining cause and effect.
Second, she illogically concludes that because there is no evidence that school-police liaison programs do any good, they are unwarranted.
If we ended all sorts of programs due to lack of “scientific” evidence of value, most of our social programs would disappear. For example, as a plethora of traffic laws have not led to cessation of accidents, should we stop enforcing them?
Finally, she uses the well-established disproportionate arrest rates and punishment severity of minority students relative to their non-minority classmates as proof that such students are at risk of mistreatment by police liaison officers in schools. Where’s the evidence for poor treatment by liaison officers in schools? Certainly not in Canada, much less in our neighbours to the south.
While her reports do rightly include anecdotal information about the unease some minority students feel having police around, there is ample evidence that it is in fact those same minorities that most want protection from crime.
My greatest hope is that Govender brings better processes and logic to her work as human rights commissioner.
I have no information about her research training, but it is time she takes some remedial course work.
Howard Brunt, PhD (epidemiology and community health)
North Saanich
Junior hockey players embarrassed country
The behaviour of Canada’s junior ice hockey team at the World Championship was utterly repulsive. Their disgusting display of poor sportsmanship and entitlement is a stain on the sport and an insult to the maple leaf they wear.
These spoiled brats, masquerading as athletes, have turned the ice into their personal playground for tantrums and dirty play. Their excessive penalties and pathetic weeping after losing are nauseating to watch. It’s a far cry from the dignity and respect we expect from those privileged to represent our nation. What’s truly sickening is the toxic example they’re setting for young, impressionable hockey players.
Instead of inspiring the next generation, they’re poisoning youth hockey with their revolting attitudes and lack of character. It’s high time for coaches and parents to stop coddling these entitled prima donnas and start instilling some real values. They need to drill into these players’ thick skulls that representing Canada is an honour, not a right.
Until they can act like true sportsmen, perhaps they should be reminded that there are plenty of other players who would wear the jersey with pride and grace — win or lose. This deplorable behaviour must end. It’s time to purge this culture of entitlement, and instead shape athletes who can lose with dignity instead of blubbering like overgrown infants.
Only then can 91原创 junior hockey wash off the stench of this embarrassing spectacle and regain its reputation for excellence both on and off the ice.
Lawrence Lambert
Cobble Hill
Give children priority in our hospitals
I find it disturbing that children can wait up to 14 hours to see a doctor in our health-care facilities. I feel that young children should be a priority unless a critical emergency situation has to be dealt with, but in most cases I believe most adults or senior citizens would understand the need to expedite infants and young children.
There is no need to have a child wait in line for health care.
Norm Kemp
Saanich
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