The School District 57 Board of Education rescinded Policy 1231 on Tuesday night, the policy that discusses the return of the Aboriginal Education Board.
The Carrier Sekani Tribal Council (CSTC) has wanted the board to be reinstated for the past year and Chief Terry Teegee says the nearly 900 aboriginal students need to be represented.
“We’ll be continuing to fight for our children and making sure that they get the proper education they need to be successful in their career as students in School District 57.”
Trustees believe the policy must be reviewed thoroughly before coming to a firm decision, which they voted unanimously to revisit in their next public meeting on April 4th.
Teegee says if nothing moves forward or in a direction they agree with, the CSTC could pursue legal action.
“We’re leaving all options open and we’ll consider those, in terms of what is potentially going to develop or how this policy will be played out.”
He says he’ll also attempt to reach out to Education Minister Mike Bernier for his input on the situation.
Teegee adds he plans to attend the next meeting to voice the several concerns from local parents, including funding and classroom sizes, and encourages everyone to speak up.
“Any aboriginal parent that has brought complaints forward, we’re keeping track of that. It’s really important that parents play a pro-active role in determining the education of their children and come forward to state what they’re issues are with the school district.”
Teegee believes a better relationship with SD57 can be possible with the implementation of the Aboriginal Education Board.
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