By Greg Fry

SD73 to strike task force in response to reports of violence against girls

Feb 15, 2018 | 3:58 PM

KAMLOOPS — Recent reports of violence against girls has prompted School District 73 to strike a Superintendent’s Task Force on Student Safety.

Superintendent Alison Sidow says those recent reports have “shaken the district and our community” and “have raised many questions about the prevalence of violence against women and girls in our community and the district’s ability to manage these behaviours when they emerge in our schools.”

She says the task force will examine district policies, protocols and practices “to ensure that they consider not only the actions required to address the behaviours of students that engage in acts of violence, bullying, intimidation, harrassment and discrimination; but also, and more importantly, the needs and perspectives of the victim.”

Sidow says the district will seek representatives from partner agencies such as the RCMP, Ministry of Children and Family Development, Kamloops Sexual Assault Centre, school and district administration, parents, students, Aboriginal Education Council and the Board of Education to carry out the mandate of the task force.

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The district will also seek the advice and support of experts in the field of violence threat risk assessment and will work closely with the Canadian Centre for Threat Assessment and Trauma Response, to conduct a review of the district culture using the Cultural Check Tool to provide an analysis and recommendations for immediate implementation.

The task force will report directly to the Sidow and will provide a full report to the Board of Education by June 30, 2018.