Every school in Manitoba is required to conduct a safety evaluation and submit the assessment to the Department of Education, as stated by the provincial government following an incident of a child being assaulted recently. Premier Wab Kinew emphasized the paramount importance of ensuring the safety of children above all else during a statement made at the Manitoba School Boards Association office in Winnipeg.
The incident occurred at Darwin School, where a student was assaulted in a bathroom on November 27. Scott William George, aged 28, has been charged with assault and forcible confinement in connection with the incident. Allegedly, George entered the school and hid in a bathroom, then attacked the student as they exited another stall. Fortunately, the child managed to defend themselves and escape without physical harm.
In response to the incident, Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Tracy Schmidt has instructed all school divisions to submit emergency response plans for review, focusing on access control at all entrances. Premier Kinew stressed the importance of implementing a locked-door policy across all schools in Manitoba. The deadline for school divisions to submit their reports to the government is set for December 25.
With 37 school divisions and 690 public schools in Manitoba, the province has allocated $500,000 to the school boards association for providing training sessions to all divisions and creating a provincewide online school safety training module for staff. This training will encompass topics such as controlled access, risk assessment, emergency response, and safety protocols.
Additionally, the Manitoba School Boards Association is tasked with organizing a provincial school safety forum to bring together education officials, law enforcement, child welfare agencies, and community experts to discuss enhancing system-wide safety measures. The aim is to share best practices and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
Despite criticisms over the handling of the offender, Premier Kinew emphasized the need to reassure students and parents about the safety of Manitoba schools. The focus is on improving safety measures and policies in schools to address any existing gaps and ensure a secure environment for students.