No Inuktitut in school rule evokes painful memories of residential schools

The watchdog for Nunavut's land claims agreement is raising its voice in reaction to reportsthat students are facing punishment by English-speaking teachers for speaking Inuktitut their mother tongue in school.

Nunavut Tunngavik vice president James Eetoolook says the news harks back to painful memories of residential schools.

"We thought we'd never live through it again and when an incident like this happens it hurts us very much," said Eetoolook."Trying to eliminate Inuktitut is not acceptable it should never happen."

• Nunavut student allegedly punished for speaking Inuktitut, says MLA
• No English at home: Nunavut parents go to great lengths to teach children Inuktitut

Eetoolookadds it's actions like this that threaten the survival ofInuktitutand continue the legacy of colonialism.

The issue was raised earlier this week by South Baffin MLA DavidJoanasiein the territory's legislature.

He said he was toldat least one teacher hadintroduced a three-strike policy, out of fear that students who speaka language they can't understand might be bullying people. He also saida Grade 8 student was disciplined.

In response,NunavutTunngavikwants the department of education to investigate the issue and publicly release the report. PaulQuassa,the minister of education, has agreed to investigate.

CBC attempted to reach the Nunavut Teachers Associationfor comment, but staff were unavailable.

Too few Inuit teachers

For Eetoolook the problem stems from the fact that Nunavut has fewer than 200Inuit teachers alongside over 400 non-Inuit teachers in the territory's classrooms.

The solution is for the government to hire more Inuit teachers, says Eetoolook who adds that the Nunavut Teachers Education Program designed to train local teachers needs to be championed more rigorously.

In the interim, Eetoolook says non-Inuit teachers coming into Nunavut have to be given better cultural and linguistic training.

"These teachers can be taught," says Eetoolook."The teachers have to make an effort to understand the Inuit language since they're teaching Inuit children."

In addition Eetoolook wants the curriculum amended to ensure that Inuit culture and language are prioritized. He also wants the District Education Authorities to be given more support and power to strengthen the roles of parents in their children's education.

• High school dropout and mother of 5 graduates fromNunavutTeacher Education Program
• Nunavut DEAs worried proposed education reforms would strip them of powers
• Vote down Education Act changes, Nunavut Tunngavik tells MLAs