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Regardless of calls from some group members and native governments, the Higher Victoria College District (SD61) faculty board says it isn’t reinstating the College Police Liaison Officer (SPLO) program.

The college board ended the SPLO program in May 2023, saying the choice was based mostly on “the evolving wants of scholars” in addition to to guard college students’ rights.

The board added that there have been issues concerning the ambiguity of the position SPLO officers performed in faculties, in addition to a scarcity of oversight for officers.

“The board of schooling’s determination signifies that police won’t be used to supply pupil companies that ought to be offered by appropriately skilled, certified and controlled professionals corresponding to district management, principals, lecturers, academic assistants, counsellors, youth and household counsellors, social employees or well being care professionals,” mentioned the college district in a release Friday.

The college board says it made its determination in 2023 after two-and-a-half years of engagement with native faculty trustees, police liaison officers, union members, the Victoria Confederation of Father or mother Advisory Councils, native First Nations, SD61 college students and extra.

It additionally says it has ongoing discussions with police boards in Higher Victoria about security in faculties.

RELATED: Victoria motion to send letter asking for school liaison officers to be reinstated narrowly passes

Requires reinstatement

Not everyone seems to be supportive of the choice to take away faculty police liaison officers, nonetheless.

In March, parents held a rally outside the SD61 administrative offices calling for the board to reinstate the SPLO program.

Prior to now two months, municipal councils in Victoria, Saanich and Oak Bay have additionally all written letters to the SD61 faculty board calling for the reinstatement of college police liaison officers.

Earlier this month, B.C. Schooling Minister Rachna Singh additionally mentioned she wish to see this system again.

“The protection of scholars and employees is paramount, and it has been communicated to the board, the choice that was made by the board, of our expectation – that they hearken to all of the issues which have been raised,” Singh mentioned.

The college board maintains that the majority obligations carried out by SPLOs can be higher fitted to skilled employees who come from the schooling or counselling fields, and that the precise position of SPLOs in faculties was by no means specified.

It echoed issues raised by B.C.’s Human Rights Commissioner in 2022, that called for all school districts in the province to end their SPLO programs due to their potential harms on marginalized college students – like individuals of color – including that college police liaison officers can add a way of “criminalization and surveillance in faculties,” based mostly on analysis out of the U.S.

“Out of respect for the rights of our college students, I strongly suggest that each one faculty districts finish the usage of [SPLOs] till the impression of those applications could be established empirically,” mentioned B.C. Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender in 2022.

In its assertion Friday, the college board mentioned it continues to talk with police by means of “acceptable formal channels” and that “police proceed to play a key position in maintaining our faculty communities secure.”

The college district additionally launched an FAQ page on the SPLO program.

READ MORE: Pressure on Victoria trustees to return school police liaison officers

With information from CHEK’s Mary Griffin

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