The Greater Victoria School District (SD61) is ready to submit its school safety plan to the Ministry of Education and Child Care following a turbulent year, which ended with the education minister removing the board of trustees.
At the Board of Education meeting on Monday, March 31, province-appointed trustee Sherri Bell approved the plan. It will be reviewed by Minister of Education and Child Care Lisa Beare before being officially approved at a later meeting.
On Jan. 30, Beare announced that she dismissed the school board because they failed "to work together with local First Nations, police, and other key stakeholders to prioritize student safety," stemming from the board's decision to remove school police liaison officers (SPLO) from Greater Victoria schools. The decision sparked outrage and arguments among parents, local unions, police, and other stakeholders in the community.
Kevin Godden, a special advisor appointed to the district to help develop the plan, explained that it is based on proactive crime prevention, crisis response and trauma-informed practice.
"I also appreciate the fact that this is a living document, and while a recommendation is coming forward around approval at this point, the minister wants to be able to see it and provide some feedback," Godden said at the meeting. "It is a living document, and things are going to change between now and the next month."
The plan presents six "key" objectives: to promote a culturally responsive, safe, equitable, and inclusive learning environment; to coordinate safety protocols with local police and fire departments; to foster positive, respectful relationships with students, staff, parents, and police; to prevent and respond to student safety-related incidents through education, training, and awareness; to prepare students and staff to respond effectively to emergencies; and to outline the roles and responsibilities of the board, district staff, and police.
According to the draft plan, police officers are expected to have a "regular presence" in SD61 schools to build relationships between the learning community and the respective police department.
Police in schools will be "engaging with youth in positive, authentic, non-confrontational ways," and "working collaboratively with district and school staff to deliver proactive safety, crime prevention, and crisis response," according to the plan.
In 2023, the district, then led by board chair Nicole Duncan, opted to remove SPLOs from SD61 schools on the recommendation of B.C. Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender. She based her judgment on a number of studies and surveys from both Canada and the U.S. that found school officers made marginalized students feel less safe.
In addition to the draft safety plan, the district is also considering its 2025 to 2026 budget, which will be presented to the board on April 2.
