B.C. human rights commissioner wants study of police in schools after board’s firing

VICTORIA — When the British Columbia government fired the Greater Victoria school board last week, it effectively made police liaison programs mandatory in schools while failing to provide a factual basis for the decision, the B.C. Human Rights commissioner said.

Kasari Govender said in the letter to Education Minister Lisa Beare and Public Safety Minister Gary Begg that failure to fund research into the matter is contrary to the government’s human rights obligations “and undermines its stated values to combat racism.”

The letter dated Monday came after Beare fired the entire elected board of School District No. 61 last Thursday over its refusal to allow police in schools except in emergencies.

“The decision to fire SD61 board members — and effectively make (School Police Liaison Officer) programs mandatory across the province — was ostensibly based on concerns about student safety, and yet the lack of transparency in this process belies a commitment to evidence-based decision-making,” Govender said.

But Beare said in a statement on Tuesday that the dismissal of the board wasn’t about implementing a specific program, it was about the failure of the Victoria board to respond to the needs of the community.

“We appointed a special adviser to assist the board to create a safety plan that was reflective of the needs of the community, but the board failed to co-operate, failed to properly work with (the) community, and failed to listen to the local First Nations.” Beare’s statement said.

She said each district has different approaches to working with local police, such as in bike safety programs, Halloween safety or gang awareness.

“I expect districts to have a proactive, trauma-informed approach that puts the safety of students at the centre of everything they do,” she said.

The commissioner said there are “significant gaps” in evidence supporting school police liaison officers and there is not enough research to say definitively whether police presence in schools keeps young people safe and thriving.

“What is being called into question is the benefit of the role of police when the objective is simply to build relationships with children and youth, and if it outweighs the potential harms,” Govender wrote.

It is “past time” for funding of research into police in schools, and an evidence-based policy is more effective and likely to avoid bias, Govender said.

The former board of the school district said its ban on police was based on reports that some students and teachers — particularly those who are Indigenous or people of colour — did not feel safe with officers in schools.

Beare appointed a lone trustee to oversee the district until municipal elections set for the fall of 2026.

She said last week that students in the Victoria district were at risk from the board’s failure to implement a revised safety plan.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 4, 2025.

Marcy Nicholson, The Canadian Press