Parents, students flag safety concerns in schools

Parents and students at some Brandon schools have raised concerns about washroom safety, bullying, racism, aggression and emergency communication gaps, Brandon School Division trustees heard Monday.

The concerns were reported as initial feedback from the safe school advisory committees set up recently in the division’s 24 schools.

“The feedback reflects a summary of concerns raised in a couple of schools, not issues present in every location,” Supt. Mathew Gustafson told trustees during Monday’s school board meeting.

Presenting the committees’ feedback, Gustafson said students at those schools have flagged the need for more behavioural and emotional support.

“Student feedback indicates they feel unsafe in washrooms, hallways and playgrounds,” he said. “They requested blinds for classroom windows, more cameras on playgrounds, and protocol posters displayed in every classroom.”

The committees, Gustafson said, also reported the “need for increased sense of emotional safety and belonging” and “concerns regarding bullying, racism, assaultive behaviour, aggression and physical threats, including in early years.”

He said supervision during class transitions and in less visible areas of schools remains a concern, adding some areas require “interior door and lock improvements.”

Families also want clearer, more frequent communication about emergency procedures, he said.

“There’s a desire for more comprehensive, accessible and frequent communication regarding safety and translated safety materials to support newcomer households. Families requested communication regarding practice drills and suggested discussing drills and Hour Zero protocols with students every month, including specific scenarios such as incidents over lunch hour or impacts on bus students.”

Staff have also called for additional security tools.

“Radios were appreciated as an effective communication tool, with requests for more units,” Gustafson said. “While they are marked down as walkie-talkies, these will be referring to UHF radios that the division has started to purchase for schools.”

Despite concerns, Gustafson said parents generally feel schools are safe.

“Parents reported trust in the system, and annual review of risk response plans with staff is working well,” he said. “Students also recognize and appreciate adult presence and building security.”

Board vice-chair Duncan Ross asked for clarification on the scope of the committees.

“Do we have the committees across all schools?” he asked.

Gustafson said, “Yes, and these are aggregated issues from across all sites.”

He added: “We will provide aggregated updates after each quarterly round of committee meetings. As the committees are in early stages, priorities and feedback may change as more people become involved.”

Gustafson told the Sun Tuesday that the division is taking steps to address bullying, racism and safety concerns in schools.

“The division does have policies in place around conduct and zero tolerance for bullying and racism,” he said. “Creating a safe school climate is not achieved through a statement alone … It’s about making sure each school addresses the issues causing students to feel unsafe.”

Measures could include climate surveys, discussions with guidance counsellors or social workers, and adjustments to physical spaces, such as designating separate washroom areas to prevent intimidation, he said.

For concerns that are specific to individual schools, the division will work directly with that location, but for issues that affect all schools, he said, “we take divisional-level action.”

The division introduced the advisory committees to strengthen safety, inclusivity and well-being across schools after the June 10 attack on Chinonso Onuke, a Nigerian-Canadian Grade 10 student at École secondaire Neelin High School. The attack was described by Brandon’s police chief as racially motivated.

The committees are expected to support a safe, inclusive and caring school environment for all students, staff and community members.

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