In an effort to address complaints of bullying in Squamish schools, the Sea to Sky School District is hosting a public presentation by a UBC expert Tuesday (May 4).
Late last summer, local parents and students spoke out about victimization and their frustrations with school administration actions. Since then, said Howe Sound Secondary School principal and district director of instruction Rose MacKenzie, anti-bullying education and initiatives have taken place.
"Part of the [school district] board goals was to look at a positive school culture and research based practices that we could put in place to create a positive school climate and culture," said MacKenzie.
As a means of further achieving those goals, on Tuesday (May 4) at 7 p.m., Dr. Shelley Hymel presents Relationships: the fourth 'R' of schooling in the Howe Sound Secondary library.
"She's done a lot of research on relationships in schools and to some extent bullying as well so she's got a lot of expertise on that," said MacKenzie.
Hymel has already made a presentation in Whistler, and will return to Squamish in the fall, said MacKenzie.
"We need someone who can get out there and talk about best practices, what we know, research wise around relationships and bullying and what we can do next."
The presentation comes just a few weeks after a mother detailed her son's victimization on the anti-bullying Facebook site Bully Free Howe Sound. And although she states "My son's teacher and principal are and have been doing everything they can," she nonetheless expressed their desperation.
"We just can't handle the pain, fear and stress anymore," said Kelly Fallis. "This has affected my son tremendously. He does not want to go to Don Ross next school year. He says 'More kids, more bullying.' I have decided to move to the city. Good luck to all the kids who are getting bullied."
MacKenzie said the Facebook page has been helpful in alerting schools to problems, and Fallis was contacted after posting her comment.
"If you do check the Facebook you can see there have not been postings for a long time. But that's OK, even if you get one posting a year, it's worth it, because then you can address that concern of the family."
Facebook group creator, Bianca Peters, said the bullying situation in Squamish school's has not improved since she first made her frustrations over her own son's problems public last summer. He is still being harassed and was even physically assaulted on Pink Shirt Day -a province-wide school bullying awareness initiative.
Peters was interviewed on CBC radio earlier this month in conjunction with Pink Shirt day when she compared school districts to the Catholic Church, which has been plagued worldwide recently with allegations of covering up child sexual abuse by priests.
"I know it may sound outrageous, but if you look at the way the Catholic Church has handled things, and the way that school districts handle things, they come at it from an angle that they question 'How can there be a problem?' because they figure that they have it under control. I think they're more concerned about their reputation."
Peters said she wants to see the superintendent of schools, Dr. Rick Erickson, appeal to the broader community to address harassment and bullying among youth.
"It's not just a school district problem, it's bigger than them. It's a community problem and it needs addressing. It doesn't need to be isolated in a box. The school board needs to get more assistance."
MacKenzie said the suggestion sounded interesting, and she would discuss it with the superintendent.
"We can explore that option further," she said.
Erickson responded to the suggestion by pointing to the various school-related organizations and individuals addressing bullying.
"Teachers, principals, vice principals, PACs are involved in initiating anti-bullying campaigns as a part of the everyday life of the school," he said. "So I support those endeavours."
Howe Sound Teachers' Association president Beth Miller said teachers at local school haven't been talking about bullying as improved or worse. However she did say teachers are heavily involved in the district's proactive rather than punitive approach.
"It's more about creating a culture in the school whereby teachers in classrooms, the students with each other, staff to staff, administrators are working towards having a climate where everybody is inclusive, everybody is working together toward a common goal rather than trying to marginalize people who are maybe acting in an inappropriate way.
"The idea is to use it to teach to that and have those students make amends and return them to the community strengthened."
