Two days after the Tumbler Ridge school shooting, Alberta’s Education Minister has asked schools districts to double check their security measures, but assures schools are safe.
After six of eight victims were shot and killed in a school in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., Alberta’s Minister of Childcare and Education, Demetrios Nicolaides, has announced he will be asking school board to undertake an audit of their security measures to make sure that all doors are locking properly, intercoms are working as they should and safety equipment is where it needs to be.
“At the same time, I’ll also be conducting an audit of provincial standards with respect to security measures to make sure that we have adequate minimum standards for our school divisions and evaluate whether those minimum standards need to be elevated or updated,” he said.
“Our schools are safe. Hundreds of thousands of kids go to school every day in incredibly safe environments. Of course, what we’ve seen warrants us to undertake a review.”
The CBE also expressed its condolences to the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School Community and said that safety and security are top priorities.
In a statement, the board said the tragic events at the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia were shocking and sad.
“The Calgary Board of Education sends our thoughts and condolences to the school, community and all those impacted by this event. Schools are part of the broader community, and we recognize the deep impact this tragedy has had,” the statement reads.
“As educators, we share in the community’s sorrow and extend our sympathy and support to all those affected.”
All potential threats to CBE school communities are taken seriously, according to the statement, with each situation requiring an appropriate level of response. The board would act quickly on any evidence that would require any school to initiate critical incident protocols or procedures.
“An event such as this may affect individuals in different ways, and it is important to seek support when needed. Students are encouraged to speak with their family members about their feelings and to lean on trusted supports as they process the news about this incident,” the statement reads.
For Alberta Teachers’ Association President Jason Schilling, having those tough conversations is very important for both parents and students. He said that schools are supposed to be sanctuaries of learning, so having grade and age-appropriate talks about what happened can help rebuild trust and security.
In his experience as a teacher, Schilling said that after lockdowns, teachers and principals would review and discuss what worked and what didn’t. In the wake of a tragedy like that in Tumbler Ridge, it may be a good idea for school boards to reassess their lockdown and emergency protocols.
Currently, Alberta teachers are devastated and feeling for their British Columbia colleagues, but do typically feel safe in their classrooms, Schilling said. That doesn’t mean there isn’t more to be done.
“We know that we’ve had a lack of funding within our school system in the last 10 years, and we need more teachers, we need more (Education Assistants), we need more programming and mental health support for students,” he said.
“We need to do more as a society, as a province, in funding and education to address those mental health needs of our students, because people are hurting and we need to make sure that we’re helping them, and that, in turn, will help the whole school environment.”
