The B.C. Human Rights Commissioner, Kasari Govender, is urging for a comprehensive study on the role of police in schools. This call to action follows the recent dismissal of the Greater Victoria school board, which had resisted implementing police liaison programs, citing insufficient evidence regarding their effectiveness. Govender emphasized that the government’s decision undermines its commitment to human rights and combating racism, highlighting a lack of research backing the mandates imposed after the board’s firing.
In a letter to Education Minister Lisa Beare and Public Safety Minister Gary Begg, Govender expressed concern over the decision’s transparency and evidence-based rationale. She noted the lack of robust data showing that the presence of police in schools leads to improved student safety. The absence of funding for related research, she stated, contradicts democratic principles and human rights obligations.
Minister Beare countered that the dismissal was not about enforcing police programs but rather the failure of the former board to engage adequately with community concerns. She highlighted that the board did not cooperate in developing a safety plan needed to address community needs, which led to her decisive action.
Govender’s perspective aligns with the former board’s stance, which ended police liaison programs over fears that such presence created an unsafe environment for marginalized students. The commissioner urged an urgent need for research funding to form an evidence-based policy on police interaction in schools, suggesting that without it, harmful biases could proliferate unintentionally. This dialogue raises critical questions about student safety and the potential consequences of police presence in educational settings.
The B.C. Human Rights Commissioner, Kasari Govender, is advocating for a study on police in schools after the Greater Victoria school board was fired for opposing police programs. She stressed the lack of evidence supporting police liaison programs and urged research funding to fulfill human rights obligations. Education Minister Beare stated that the board’s dismissal was due to their failure to meet community needs regarding safety, not solely about implementing police programs.
The initiative to study police presence in schools, triggered by the B.C. government’s dismissal of the Greater Victoria school board, highlights significant gaps in evidence regarding the effectiveness of police liaison programs. Commissioner Kasari Govender calls for research funding to support informed decision-making, arguing that the implications of police presence must be thoroughly examined, especially concerning the safety of marginalized students. Ultimately, this situation underscores the vital need for transparency and evidence-driven policies in education.
Original Source: vancouversun.com
