Amid ongoing concerns surrounding school police liaison officers in the Greater Victoria School District, the province has now appointed a special adviser to improve the district's school safety plan.
Education Minister Lisa Beare expects the new plan by January 6 and says failure to do so could end in the board being replaced.
The school board did submit a plan and the Minister says the province's team of school safety experts, Safer Schools Together, conducted an independent review. There were discussions and consultations with the Songhees First Nation and Esquimalt First Nation, the four area police chiefs, the president of the Victoria Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils and School District 61's board of trustees. Based on the results of all that input, the Minister rejected the plan in November.
In a statement, Safer Schools Together founder and chief executive officer Theresa Campbell says they found the Greater Victoria School Board's plan "deficient." She says "proactive safety plans must include strong relationships and collaboration with law enforcement, First Nations and other community partners."
"You know there are 60 districts here in the province and I am not having the conversation with 59 other districts," Minister Beare told a news conference at the Legislature after meeting with the board. "There is a version of police presence in every other school district in this province. And it's uniquely tailored to each district. It does not have to be an SLPO."
"And I would like to repeat what I communicated to the board this morning: if the board fails to deliver an appropriate revised safety plan that I can approve, or if the board does not cooperate with the special adviser, I am willing to take any step necessary to ensure the safety of students and staff by considering all options available to me," said Beare.
Those steps could include replacing the board, which decided to remove all school police liaison officers from District 61 school in 2023.
Kevin Godden, former superintendent of the Abbotsford School District, will act as the special adviser at a cost of $55,000. The Minister says SD 61 is on the hook for that cost.