5 P.E.I. schools piloting new program on racism

The Public Schools Branch has launched a pilot program in five P.E.I. schools to educate staff and students on racism.

Queen Charlotte Intermediate, East Wiltshire Intermediate, BirchwoodIntermediate, Colonel GraySenior High School and WestisleComposite High School are all taking part in the pilot, which began in September.

School officials briefed MLAs during a legislative standing committee Monday.

Terri MacAdam, director of student services with the Public School Branch, says the ultimate goal is for every student who comes into the school to feel safe, included and part of that school community.

She said the schools were chosen because they may have had issues in the past or have been working on diversity projects.

"In those schools they are doing extra and additional education for staff, they have set up meetings weekly with students so one week it may be Black Cultural Society, another week it would be PEERS Alliance, another week it would be Beyond the Brim," said MacAdam.

"So that there is somebody in the school once a week on a rotating basis that students can go to have discussion, they are just trying to be really present in those buildings."

A positive school culture

The pilot project is focusedon educating intermediate and high school students and staff, supporting a positive school culture and developing a committeemade up of students, parents and staffto advise the school.

A private consulting firm is also helping the school board with its discipline model and how it responds to diversity incidents.

During the presentation to MLAs, PSB director Norbert Carpenterlaid out some of the challenges that schools are facing, adding that schools can't battle racism on their own.

'So wrong and so hurtful'

Carpenter said he was surprised how hurtful some of the comments were from parents, and members of the public, while the school board was seeking feedback on its gender diversity guidelines for Island schools.

The aim of those guidelines is to create a more inclusive and safe learning environment for all students, while demonstrating respect for diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.

Carpenter said as a father and educator and someone who has loved ones who are members of the LGBTQ community, he found the comments hard to take.

"It's difficult to comprehend that the attitudes of some are very, you know,they're just so wrong and so hurtful and as education, we're a huge piece of this. We have an opportunity to help, but we simply can't do it alone either," he said.

"That in itself, I think, was really eye-opening to myself and our whole team thata lot of hatred, a lot of transphobia, homophobia [is] out there in our community."

The Public School Branch also plans a mandatory workshop for all staff December 20focused on diversity and inclusion.

'We do have some issues'

Charlottetown-West Royalty MLA Gord McNeilly, who isa member of the legislative standing committee reviewing diversity initiatives in the public school system, said a few recenthigh-profileincidents in Island schools are going to leave a scar for some of the students.

In June, some students were bullied during a Pride Day event at East Wiltshire Intermediate School. In October, 200 students walked out of Colonel GraySenior Gray Senior High Schoolin Charlottetown to speak out against what they calledharassment of female students.

McNeilly said he'll be watching the pilot programclosely, and he hopes theprogramwill be expanded quickly across all Island schools.

"We do have some issues in Prince Edward Island," said McNeilly.

"We need to work on it collectively family, schools and society."