Students stage walkout following sexual assault allegations
Female students at East Elgin Secondary School said they don't feel safe and are asking school administration to address their concerns.
About 50 students took part in a walkout and rally in front of the school on Wednesday morning.
The concerns stem, in part, from the handling of a male student who is now facing a number of sexual assault charges.
The Aylmer Police Service said on Sept. 22 they received a complaint of three separate incidents involving the male.
Police said the first case occurred on April 30. They say that at the time, a 15-year-old male from Springfield was speaking to a 16-year-old female student inside East Elgin Secondary when the he touched her buttocks and attempted to touch her breast before she stopped him.
Subsequent incidents occurred in June and August. The second involved a 14-year-old female who told police she was assaulted on three separate occasions in which the male attempted to touch the victim's breast and vaginal area.
The third incident also involved a 14-year-old female. In that case, police said the male showed up at her Aylmer residence uninvited and also attempted to touch her inappropriately.
The accused currently faces once count of sexual assault and four counts of sexual assault on a person under 16 years of age.
About 50 students at East Elgin Secondary School in Aylmer, Ont. took part in a walkout on Nov. 30, 2022 to protest a number of disturbing alleged incidents, including sexual assault. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)
"Sexual assault should not be part of your school experience," said Venus Peters, a grade 12 student at East Elgin Secondary and one of the rally organizers. "Your school experience should be learning. Should be preparing for college."
Aylmer Police Deputy Chief Kyle Johnstone said that while the case is making its way through the courts, the accused is now under court ordered restrictions preventing him from attending the school.
Johnstone wants to assure students that police are acting on concerns if it’s a criminal matter, and said, “Unfortunately with things, such as school-age children, the Youth Criminal Justice Act, even if there are charges, [it] really restricts us in what we’re able to release.”
Those who took part in the rally, consisting of primarily female students, said there have been other troubling incidents in the school.
"Recently there was a male student who was caught in the girl's washroom," said grade 12 student Kendra Underhill. "There just didn't seem to be a lot done about it or action that could have been taken wasn't done and we're tired of not feeling safe in our own school environment."
About 50 students at East Elgin Secondary School in Aylmer, Ont. took part in a walkout on Nov. 30, 2022 to protest a number of disturbing alleged incidents, including sexual assault. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)
In a statement, Dennis Wright, the Thames Valley District School Board’s Superintendent of Safe Schools and Well Being, said, “We are supportive of student-led initiatives that demonstrate engagement in positive change and using their voice in support of other youth in our communities. We encourage students who need support to reach out to a caring adult. School based supports to support mental health and well-being are also available.”
The statement continued, “We are committed to ensuring safe, positive learning environments at all of our schools, which is reflected in our policies and codes of conduct as well as in our curriculum.”
Meanwhile, Underhill said many students still don’t feel confident that their concerns are being addressed, “They, kind of, just say ‘Oh, yeah. We’ll deal with it. You just got to trust us that we’ll deal with it.’ There’s no real follow-up given with that person or that girl that feels unsafe or that girl who’s been assaulted.”
Students hope the walkout will bring further dialogue and changes that will make them feel safer.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.