Deadline to weigh in on school resource officers extended
The resource officer program has been in London and area schools for years, but after protests last year led to calls for change, the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) decided to review it.
“We need to be guided by the voices of our students, our parents and our community at all times, and so we really need to do our best to get as many responses as possible,” says Dennis Wright, TVDSB superintendent of student achievement, safe schools and well-being.
The survey has been available for the past two weeks, but the groups that represent the communities the survey is focused on hearing from, say it needs to be more visible.
“I think it’s a matter that making sure people know where the survey is as a starting point,” says Multicultural Outreach Program Coordinator at LUSO Community Services Leroy Hibbert.
As of Wednesday morning just over 3,000 people have clicked on the survey, a low number that has led to the extension of the deadline to June 15.
Following that date, data will be gathered and some community involvement, possibly a round-table type discussion, will be held in July.
“It’s very critical in having a conversation about what it can do to communities that have experienced it in the past, or they’ve had a historical context of situations with law enforcement,” says Hibbert.
Those conversations are expected to lead to recommendations from The Centre for Organizational Effectiveness, a third party company that is handling the survey on behalf of the school boards and police agencies in the area.
Any changes that come from the process are expected to go into effect by the fall.
“I can’t anticipate what those recommendations may look like, but the board is certainly committed to ensuring a do no harm for all of our students,” says Wright
Alexandra Kane from Black Lives Matter London says this should not be a consensus issue, “If we’re going around saying every child matters, and if one child finds issues, there need so be a swift response to that.”
And the payoff, according to Kane, is more than worthwhile.
“Changing that culture of your organization is so important, and encourages students to learn better.”
Those interested have until June 15 to complete the survey.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Liberal MP says she's leaving politics over disrespectful dialogue, threats, misogyny
Liberal MP Pam Damoff says she won't run again in the next federal election, saying she has experienced misogyny, disrespectful dialogue in politics and threats to her life.
Concerns about Plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglass barriers.
Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
OPP officer said 'someone's going to get hurt' before wrong-way Hwy. 401 crash
As multiple Durham police cruisers were chasing a robbery suspect on the wrong side of Highway 401 Monday night, an Ontario Provincial Police officer shared his concerns, telling a dispatcher, "Someone's going to get hurt."
Ont. woman who faked pregnancy to defraud doulas arrested again on similar charges
Victims of a Brantford, Ont., woman who was sentenced to house arrest earlier this year for defrauding and deceiving doulas say they’re not surprised she’s been apprehended again on similar charges.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Göring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Poilievre returns to House unrepentant for calling Trudeau 'wacko,' Speaker not resigning
An unrepentant Pierre Poilievre returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday to pepper the prime minister about his drug decriminalization policies after being booted the day prior for refusing to take back calling Justin Trudeau 'wacko' over his approach to the issue.
Construction begins on LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa
Shovels have hit the ground for constuction on Canada's LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa.
B.C. man awarded $5,000 in damages in first-of-it-kind intimate image case
In a first-of-its-kind case, a B.C. tribunal has ruled on a dispute involving the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, awarding damages and issuing orders that the photos be destroyed and taken offline.