Office of the Official Opposition
For Immediate Release

St. John’s, NL (February 6, 2020) – PC Opposition education critic Craig Pardy said parents are upset that they had to find out through the news media about a serious school violence threat and now they’re asking questions about the protocols to protect their children and keep them in the loop on threats and incidents of school violence.

“Parents are outraged they were not informed,” said Pardy.

According to the February 6 CBC News report (https://cbc.ca/1.5454565):

· The RNC informed the principal of an alleged plot against three teachers.

· The principal informed staff on Tuesday, February 4.

· The three teachers were informed and told of supports available to them.

· NL Teachers’ Association officials were briefed.

· The news broke publicly on Thursday, February 6

· No response from NLESD

“Finding out from the media two days after the school was informed by the RNC is not only unacceptable but egregious in today’s society,” said Pardy.

“The lack of response from the school board and the minister is alarming. In situations such as this, certainly one would expect a protocol to be immediately activated so parents were in the loop”, said Pardy.

Pardy said “a review and update of the Schools Act is supposed to be underway and long overdue. He wonders if this latest threat has caught this government’s attention as to the necessity for a more comprehensive response to ever increasing violence/threats. The Safe and Caring Schools Policy, which was last updated in 2013, obviously needs to be revisited.”

“Parents, an integral part of the school community, ought to have been informed,” says Pardy.

Contacts:

Bradley Russell

Director of Policy and Research

(p) 1.709.729.3668

BradleyRussell@gov.nl.ca

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