Indignews: Esk’etemc rally calls for investigation into school district, alleging ‘bullying and racial violence’

Indigenous leaders protested outside Cariboo-Chilcotin School District offices in Williams Lake this week, saying the ministry must do more to address concerns.

By Dionne Phillips, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter ● News, Secwepemcúl'ecw ● April 5, 2025

In Williams Lake on Tuesday, community members march to the offices of School District 27 in a protest over allegations of bullying and racism. Photo by Dionne Phillips

Esk’etemc First Nation leaders and dozens of community members protested this week against what they said is ongoing bullying and racism within the Cariboo-Chilcotin School District. 

Many participants carried drums and rattles, and sang a Secwépemc song, as the group and its supporters walked to the School District 27 (SD27) offices in Williams Lake on Tuesday.

They called for an independent investigation, and changes to how the district handles complaints.

“For many years now, we’ve been hearing terrible stories from our children, Youth, language teachers and support workers of the bullying and racial violence they’ve experienced within School District number 27,” said Calvin Dubray, Esk’etemc’s education director, speaking to rally participants. 

The district, headquartered in Williams Lake, has schools in more than a dozen other rural communities, serving nearly 5,000 students — including children from Tŝilhqot’in, Dakelh and Secwépemc nations.

Nearly one-third of the area’s students are Indigenous, according to the district’s website.

At the protest’s meeting point, a short distance from the school district office, organizers handed participants pink signs and shirts that read “Stand Up.” On the back, the shirts declared, “Bullying and Racial Violence are No Joke.”

Esk’etemc Kúkwpi7 Fred Robbins led the rally to the lawn of the SD27 administration building, followed by more than 50 supporters.

After reaching the school district offices, Esk’etemc councillor Irene Johnson opened the event with a prayer in Secwepemctsín.

In a rally speech, Dubray decried what he called a lack of appropriate responses or resolution to bullying and racial violence complaints in local schools.

“We’ve been collecting stories, writing letters, asking various ministers of education and child care for meeting and action,” he said, “but our voices are being ignored.”

He also acknowledged there are teachers working to ensure fair treatment while providing students with a “wonderful education,” adding that his community is ready to help find solutions to issues within the district’s schools.

“This is our opportunity to hold the Ministry of Education and Child Care accountable and ask for an investigation — which we’ve always been asking for — into racial violence and bullying in our school district,” he said.

‘We have heard the families and advocates in our community voice their concerns’

The school district’s policies state it is obligated to ensure “environments where individuals are treated with respect and dignity, free from harassment or bullying.”

Its Code of Conduct also note that witnesses to bullying “are expected to report and prevent” harm in schools, and students reporting incidents should be “supported without fear of retaliation.”

SD27 has a dedicated Indigenous education department “to ensure the success of Indigenous students” and help act on truth and reconciliation.

Superintendent Cheryl Lenardon was unavailable for an interview, but in an emailed statement told IndigiNews the district is taking concerns seriously and student safety is top of mind for administrators.

“We have heard the families and advocates in our community voice their concerns,” Lenardon wrote. “The safety of our students is our priority, and we know that families around our province place tremendous trust in our schools to care for their children and keep them safe.”

She also said the school district works with the province’s Safer Schools Together initiative. According to the program’s website, it “has a proven record of helping schools” across the continent in preventing violent and bullying behaviour, as well as creating intervention strategies.

Lenardon said the province’s education ministry is supporting SD27 as it conducts “an independent, comprehensive, district-wide review of the district’s culture and climate.”

“As a district, we continue to look for ways to address concerns as we know there is always room for growth and improvement,” she said in her email, “and we fully recognize that hard work is ahead of us.”

In previous comments to IndigiNews last fall, Lenardon pointed to SD27’s active First Nations Education Council, representing the dozen First Nations in the district, as well as the Cariboo Chilcotin Métis Association and the local Friendship Society.

“Creating safe and caring learning environments is something I am definitely focused on,” Lenardon said in her earlier email. “We are intentionally acting to reduce bullying and racism and create safe and inclusive communities for our learners.”

The district has additionally identified five key focus areas, she added, with Indigenous learning and culture listed as priorities for improvement over the next three years.

Asked last year about how the district addresses anti-Indigenous racism and bullying, Lenardon cited SD27’s Safe and Caring School Communities policy, adopted in June 2024. The policy included appointing a District Safe School Co-ordinator and dedicated teams to address safety concerns and to support students.

Province says ‘discrimination, bullying and racism have no place’

According to the province’s education ministry, this is the second school year in which all students must complete Indigenous-focused coursework to graduate.

In an emailed statement last fall, a ministry spokesperson said the mandatory curriculum “sets the stage for a more educated, respectful, and inclusive future.”

One resource the province offers to report bullying is Expect Respect and A Safe Education (ERASE B.C.). The service offers an anonymous reporting tool, information about counselling and other support for students and staff, and classroom materials.

“Discrimination, bullying and racism have no place in our schools,” a ministry spokesperson wrote in a statement last fall. “It should be every young person’s right to have inspiring, welcoming learning spaces where they can be themselves and participate equally, regardless of their background.”

The government is also creating an Indigenous Education Council in every school district to offer more support to Indigenous students, so students, teachers and parents can have their input heard and addressed.

UBCIC, MLA join calls for ‘fulsome investigation into the allegations’

At Tuesday’s rally, however, Robbins also said he is constantly hearing stories of bullying and how the children and staff still feel ignored. He echoed the other speakers’ demand for an investigation and asked the ministry to step in with  solutions. 

“We’re here to support that investigation, and we ask that you join us,” Robbins said. “Write a letter to your MLA, speak up to a school board trustee, join the concerned parents and caregivers of Williams Lake that are here today. Take action, stand up for the children, stand up for our future.”

The community also has the support of their local Cariboo—Chilcotin MLA, Lorne Doerkson.

Although he was unable to attend the rally in person, he sent a statement supporting the group, promising to share the community’s concerns in the Legislative Assembly.

“I offer my concern and support today from Victoria, where I will be sharing your advocacy to call for an investigation and a better understanding into allegations of racism, bullying and harassment within School District number 27,” he said in a statement.

Esk’etemc First Nation is not alone in raising concerns about bullying in the district’s schools. The nation has now combined its efforts with the community group Concerned Parents and Caregivers of Williams Lake (CPWL) — and together they’re raising alarms about the impact they say bullying and discrimination has had upon many local students and families. 

In a joint statement, the groups called for “equality, safety, and excellence in education for all students in the district.”

‘We’re all being ignored, and this issue for our kids is too important’

Melissa Coates, a member of the CPWL, said the group has grown quickly from just a few parents to now exceed 318 members in its Facebook group as of Friday.

“Today, we are proud to stand alongside leadership and community members from Esk’etemc,” she said.

“As a group, we realized that we are advocating for the same thing, that we’re all being ignored, and this issue for our kids is too important to not keep standing up for.”

The community has also received the backing of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs (UBCIC), whose president said he “stands alongside Esk’etemc First Nation in calling for a fulsome investigation” into the allegations of racism, discrimination, bullying, and harassment in the district.

“The parents group, Esk’etemc, and UBCIC share the same vision,” Grand Chief Stewart Phillip said in a statement, “for every child to have the opportunity to attend school in an environment where they feel safe, supported and have a sense of belonging.”

After Robbins brought Esk’etemc’s concerns to the UBCIC general assembly last September, the organization’s members passed a resolution, “Call for Investigation into Bullying, Harassment, Discrimination, and Racism at School District 27.”

Robbins agreed with Phillip’s call for immediate action from the provincial government.

“Every day that goes by, we hear more and more stories of children and Youth — not just from our nation of Esk’etemc, but throughout the region — who fear going to school,” Robbins said. “How terrible is that?”

‘Disappointed and frustrated’

In an interview with IndigiNews, Robbins discussed what he hopes to see from the school district — including a new process to file grievances related to racism, bullying, racial profiling or discrimination, and also a proposal to have the district principals for Indigenous education role be elected.

He called on the district to develop such processes with both impacted First Nations and parent advisory councils.

Robbins said that for over a year, the community groups have been asking the education ministry to investigate.

Although Dubray acknowledged the province did conduct a review in the district, he said it had inadequate consultation with First Nations and community members. 

Dubray said in a statement the community groups have now launched their own survey which “closely mirrored” one sent out by the district under the Safer Schools Together program — but with added space for respondents to share stories or feedback along with their answers; the independent community survey will be available until April 25.

The Ministry of Education and Child Care told Black Press in a statement that they are “meeting weekly with SD27 leadership to address the concerns” and the minister, Lisa Beare, has also met with Indigenous leaders.

Robbins noted that these issues are affecting many students, and that there need to be solutions to help the children — starting with a thorough provincial investigation.

“I’m just disappointed and frustrated with the leadership,” he said.

“The new minister needs to come up here and meet, and they need to start taking some action.”