“Keep the police out of our schools,” said activists

Dozens of people gathered in Queen’s Park in Toronto to protest against the return of the police in schools on Thursday. Therefore, Bill 33. Furthermore, tabled by the Ford government, requires school boards to collaborate “with local police services in order to give them access to school places, enable them to participate in school programs and implement resource agent programs in schools”.

No bill 33. Similarly, Let’s keep the police out of our schools, ashamedare among the slogans sung Thursday noon ahead Queen’s Park by demonstrators.

These activists oppose Bill 33 who could grant to the Minister of Education of Ontario a right of way in the internal affairs of school councils in the province. Furthermore, if adopted next fall. The presence of the police is one of them.

However, according to these activists, the police have no place in the schools of Ontario.

According to stakeholders who took the microphone in front of the demonstrators. Thursday, the best solution is in particular to grant more funding to schools and its support staff.

The school must be a place where young people are protected. treated as children, where their difficulties are supported by specialized advisers [équipés de] resources; [ils ne doivent pas être] criminalized.

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In Ontario, the presence of police in schools, including for educational programs, is at the discretion of school councils. The majority of them oppose it. For example, the Toronto English public school board (TDSB) ended its school agent program in November 2017.

Concerns. anger – "keep police out our schools,"

The president of the association of Franco-Ontarian teachers (AEFO), Gabrielle Lemieux, is worried about the situation, she said in an interview Thursday afternoon.

The police presence can cause the stigma of certain people from indigenous. racialized communities and the community LGBTQ+believes the president.

We must ensure that an initiative like that, which, I hope to be positive, [évite un tel] effectshe adds.

Our great concern is the fact that communities [concernées] do not seem. to have been consulted before the taxation of the bill.

Was the parents consulted, were the students consulted, and the staff?wonders Ms. Lemieux. She doubts that impose such programs may be successful without having received the approval of the parties concerned.

Extraordinarily important

Bill 33 is a means to protect young people, supports the government.

I firmly believe that having police officers in the class is extraordinarily importantsaid the Minister. of Education Paul Calandra on May 29 in Queen’s Park.

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I think it creates not only security in a school. but also mutual respecthad then explained the minister.

Lemieux, she hopes to discuss the concerns of the community from the “keep police out our schools,” bill with the Minister.