Victoria school board ordered by province to develop safety plan

BC Education Minister Rachna Singh this week ordered SD61 to work with police to address safety through an action plan.

This comes as the ongoing debate of student police liaison officers (SPLO) in schools has bubbled up throughout the year. SPLOs were removed from SD61 schools in May 2023—VicPD stopped allocating funds to the program four years earlier—after the BC human rights commissioner called for the end of the program in schools until an “ evidence-based need” for it was proven. In Feb., VicPD called for the reinstatement of these officers amid concerns of gangs recruiting near schools.

The SD61 board stood by its decision to not to include SPLOs in schools, citing a two-year engagement process and a survey that found 16% of students and staff felt uncomfortable around the officers. The board also pointed to the unclear objectives of the program, a lack of school oversight for officer-student interactions, and the non-existent data on the frequency of officers’ visits.

Last month, the SD61 board met with Singh and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth to share their initial safety plan ahead of the school year. In a release, the SD61 board said it told the minister on Aug 19. it would provide detailed answers to any of the minister’s questions about its plan. However, in an Aug. 30 email Farnworth and Singh told the VicPD board chair that the school board’s safety plan didn't adequately address preventative safety measures.

Now, the board must work with VicPD, Saanich Police, Oak Bay Police, and West Shore RCMP to develop a long-term plan for student safety—including improving the relationship between the board and the police. The safety plan doesn’t include any mention of reinstating the SPLO program.

In response to the order, the SD61 board said provincial interference was unnecessary as the board had already been communicating with police while creating its safety plan.

“We are concerned that rather than engage in continued collaborative efforts alongside us and police services, the minister took this preemptive and unprecedented step so close to the provincial interregnum period,” said the SD61 board. The interregnum period refers to the time leading up to an election, in which provincial governments are to limit major announcements so as to not make commitments on behalf of any incoming government.

According to Singh’s order, the safety plan must:

• Address increased gang activity, safety concerns, crime prevention, and crisis response at SD61 schools, including planned strategies for dealing with these issues
• Describe how the board will collaborate with police, First Nations, and relevant organizations to promote respect, integrity, and DEI principles in schools
• Establish a trauma-informed approach for interactions between students and police officers to ensure positive relationships
• Include a protocol for communication and co-ordination between the board and police
• Describe the respective roles and responsibilities of the board and police in ensuring a safe school environment
• Include a commitment to improve the relationship between the board and police
• Include a process for making changes to the plan, including 60 days’ advance notice for the education minister

The deadline to get the plan to the minister for approval is Nov. 15.