Listen to daily commentary from program director Murray Wood
Many people view Monday's election as one of the most important in Canada's history. Murray Wood breaks down the race an...
VICTORIA — British Columbia’s education minister has fired the entire Victoria School Board in a dispute over a safety plan where the board barred police from schools except in emergencies.
Minister Lisa Beare says student safety is at risk in the district and she has appointed a lone trustee to oversee the district until the next municipal elections set for the fall of 2026.
Read More:
- Sask. schools want more funding for students needing ‘intensive supports’
- 16-year-old Regina girl charged, uttering threats against a school
- Police chief comments on attempted murder at Evan Hardy Collegiate
Beare says the appointment is effective immediately, which will clear the way for the completion of a safety plan for the district.
She says the government has given the board many opportunities to act, but it hasn’t delivered.
Sherri Bell, former president of Camosun College and superintendent of schools in Victoria, has been appointed as the trustee to replace the board.
Police have not been permitted at Victoria schools except in special circumstances since 2023, and the board said it based its decision to ban officers on reports that some students and teachers — particularly those who are Indigenous or people of colour — don’t feel safe with officers in schools.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 30, 2025.
The Canadian Press
